Q3Arena.com - The Ultimate Quake III Site

Graeme Devine updated his .plan with word of porting Q3A to the Mac OS 9.1 and a little news about Dreamcast.
Here's what he had to say:

Quickie Update

Mac OS 9.1 Quake3Arena.

As many other developers have noticed, there's a little work to be done to make our games compatible with the new 9.1 release of MacOS. I've yet to address the issues, but will do as soon as I can. Once those are cleared up I'll release a build. There's a significant speedup over the current debug build out there.

Mac OS 9.1 Quake3Arena Altivec.

The Altivec version of Q3A is awesome. Unfortunately there is a bug in the Metrowerks compiler Altivec support which means I'm waiting on the update for the compiler. Metrowerks is currently QAing a build of their compiler with this fix included. For those x86 people out there who wonder what the Altivec is, it's the super computer part of the G4 chip that Apple touts in it's commercials. It really is incredible, and really does make a "super computer power" difference in application that support it.

Mac OS X Quake3Arena.

I'll release it along with the next release of the Mac build.

Dreamcast.

I read today in a news report that the Dreamcast failed to compete with the "more powerful Nintendo 64 and Playstation". Wow. I was under the impression the Dreamcast kicked their butts. The Dreamcast is a great machine, I'm saddened by todays news.

id Software's Eric Webb updated his .plan with news of a server test for Team Arena.
Here's what he had to say:

Hi everyone!
We've been working hard the last few days trying to track down a dedicated server crash. I've got a server running here at Id that should give us a pretty good indication of what's going on next time it goes down, so feel free to hop in and play. This particular server cycles through the Team Arena terrain maps, so you have to have TA installed. Have fun!

The address: 192.246.40.159

Thanks!

-eric

id Software's Christian Antkow updated his .plan with news of a conductivity pole at The SugaShack.
Here is what he had to say:

How wired are you ?

I've created a poll on The Shugashack to gauge personal curiosity as to how wired gamers are out there. While I realize this is hardly accurate, it should give a good "rough idea".

The gist of it is, I'm trying to see, roughly, how many gamers out there have a permanent connection to the internet, despite the fact that whichever game you are playing, doesn't need a connection to the net.

If you have a moment to spare, please take all of 13.2 seconds to participate in this poll.

Thank you.

Gaming + Net Connection Poll

Orange Smoothie Productions have released a patch for their OSP Quake3 mod. The version 0.99r2 patch fixes a server side only bug. Check it out at the OSP site.

The scorching continues with a new version of Hellfire Arena released today. This new 1.25 version has a few bug fixes from the previous version and offers some new features. Charge up your flamethrowers and go grab the latest version at the Hellfire Arena site!

Since we have made some major changes on this site and have more plans for the future we are in need of some volunteers to help with the news and some other sections here at Q3Arena.com. Here is a list of people we need.

News people that live on the east coast.
PHP coders with Mysql experience.
Game section heads for Quake, Quake2, and Quake 3: Arena.

If you are interested in any of the above jobs or can contribute in any other way, send a short resume and exactly what you are willing to do to paul@q3arena.com and I will get back with you.

Yet another version of Eternal Arena has been released bringing it to v.3.6.
New in this version is:

Callvote for gamemode change
bugfix with missing controls menu option
Zoom option to switch between progressive and normal
bugfix Invert mouse fixed !
New gamemode Countdown
Reorganized the Eternal Options menu
Don't draw ammo if using unlimited
Redesigned the whole HUD, with client & team coloured gfx
Option for crosshair in 3rd person on/off

A new release of GameSpy 3d is now available bringing the popular server/browser utility to version 2.24.
The new version supports the following new games and demos:

Baldur's Gate 2
Deer Hunter 4
Deus Ex
Half-Life: Counter-Strike (retail package)
Gunman Chronicles
Quake 3: Team Arena
No One Lives Forever
RUNE
Serious Sam Multiplayer Test #2
Quake 3: Team Arena Demo

id Software's Robert Duffy updated his .plan with some news that the upcoming point release for Team Arena is close to getting finished. Here's what he had to say:

Point Release Status

We are getting close to finishing up fixing issues, from retail Team Arena and the 1.27g/h builds. No specifics yet but it should be in the not too distant future. This release will address all ( or most ) the bugs we have had reported and adds some new things as well. We have added a new "fs_basegame" so mod makers can base mods on other mods ( read that as use content from other mods ). There are more FPS speedups, some sound fixes, general ui fixes, better collision, etc. Lots of stuff and demos and protocols should all remain compatible so 1.27g and above will all communicate just fine.

Menu Content Release - To help facilitate and allow mod makers to utilize the new menu scripting in vanilla Quake III: Arena, we are going to release the .menu files and related shaders and textures used in the Quake III: Team Arena user interface. This will allow mods to use the new menu system without having to worry about the problems with re-releasing content from Quake III: Team Arena

Q3GridIron ROCKS - We have been playing the heck out of this thing at the office. Hail Mary!

(.plan link courtesy of Blues News)

The makers of Super Configurable Team Arena (SCTA) have released another server side utility called Super Configurable Quake III Arena (SCQ3A). SCQ3A will allow Q3A server administrators maximum configurablity just like SCTA will for Team Arena. Get the lowdown on this utility at the SCTA site.

GameSpy has posted a list of what they think are the top 10 CTF maps. The maps they list represent Quake, Quake 2, Quake 3, Sin, Half-Life, Tribes, and Unreal Tournament. Check them all out at the GameSpy site.

For those who like to burn, version 1.2 of Hellfire Arena has been released. The new release features a new Flame Thrower, an adjustable BFG, a new scoreboard, and offers a new HUD style.

A new version of the popular Quake III Sound Pak has been released bringing it to version 4. The Q3A mod changes various weapons and bot sounds.
New in this release is:

Modified machine gun sound to dampen the reverberation that came with the 1.27 point release.
Modified plasma gun sound to dampen the reverberation that came with the 1.27 point release.
NEW body splattering sounds. Someone sent these to me. I LOVE them.
NEW pain sounds for Grunt taken from QUAKE2
Modified Rocket, BFG, and Grenade explosion. Even BIGGER now!
New falling sound for Visor, and new death sound for Sarge. Both Courtesy of Mel Gibson from Conspiracy Theory

We need your screenshots! Since the site has been changed, we now have a nifty Picture Of The Day area on your right. Get your screenshots and a tasteful comment by you posted on our site by sending them to POTD@www.Q3Arena.com.

A new server/browser has been released called ServerSpy. Calling itself "The Simple Alternative", ServerSpy is a freeware server browser currently supporting Half-life and Quake 3 under Windows 9x/NT/Me/2000. It offers the basic features from other game browsers with a simple design, and a reasonable price tag (free!).

The BackBurner has an article to help new left handed Quake 3 players set up their keys in a very easy and accessible fashion. If you are left handed and feel left out... check it out at the BackBurner!

A new version of the server side only Super Configurable Team Arena mod is available bringing it to 1.2. The new version adds a whole bunch of new features. Here's a list of a few of them:

Added option to drop the full ammo the person had with their weapon instead of a static number
Added option to drop some/all/no weapons on death
Added option to drop some/all/no powerups on death
Added ability to change how long weapons and powerups dropped from someone dying stick around
Updated sc_startweaps code so you can effectively disable mg and gauntlet
Added ability to shut off certain log messages (item, say, sayteam, tell, vtell, infochanged)
Added ability to change vote percentages for each type of vote
Added ability to change whether non-voters are ignored for each type of vote

Check out the rest of the new features on the SCTA site.

A new version of Heavy Delta, a Q3A mod with locational damage (including severed limbs!) and a unique weapons system, is available bringing it to version 0.91. Grab it at the Heavy Delta site!

A new version of Kquery is available bringing it to version 222 build 420. Kquery is a game server reporting tool, reporting players, rules, maps, and server settings.
Here's whats new in this release:

Quake 2 query code totally re-done (i.e. it works properly now!)
ICQ integration is now FULLY customizeable, with a new way of setting your away message. Kquery also will set your ICQ status back to "online" when you've come back from the game!
Launch Execution process has been re-ordered so that game launches are less problematic for people with super-fast computers
DDE server now active - meaning you can remotely control Kquery from any DDE client (including mIRC!) (full commands are in the readme.txt file)
Server Password support is now in - join a half-life based server which is password protected, and Kquery will pop up a password dialog allowing you to enter it in :)

The Urban Terror site has posted an update to their site with some new screenshots and an update on the status of their Beta 2 development. The screenshots are from WetWired's new map titled "Venice".

Corvin has released another version of Eternal Arena bringing the mod to v.3.5. The new release was prompted by the last release's new menu color scheme which made some things hard to read. In this new version, the menu color scheme has now been returned to the original one. No other updates to the mod were added.

The BackBurner has posted a review of the True Combat mod. This Q3A mod, based on realism, came out with some pretty high ratings so it seems to be worth checking out. If you haven't seen the True Combat mod yet, you can check it out here.

Z-Axis now has guidelines on how not to make single player maps. The guide, titled "MrBunwahs' Guide To Achieving A Perfect Single Player Review Score", currently has 17 things you should avoid when making a single player map. Some of the points the author mentions to watch out for while making a map are... sneaky ambushes, badly placed monsters, starting the level in prison, and not including a readme file. Check those out and all of the others at the Z-Axis site.

The folks at the QERadiant site have released the source code for the GtkRadiant map editor and are offering their modified version of q3map. Instructions for getting the source code, setting up the 3rd party libraries and compiling everything are also available.

id Software has updated their Official Team Arena FAQ with more information on how to get around common problems when running the game. Included in the new FAQ are answers to problems with a missing shader, server crashes, and an issue with time limits instead of player limits in single play.

A new release of GeekPlay, a demoplayer for Q3A which will automatically play demos when you doubleclick on them, is available now as version .099i.
GeekPlay comes with a default geekplay.cfg with the following 6 commands:

F5 - Slow-motion
F6 - Normal speed
F7 - Fast speed
F8 - Very-fast speed
F9 - Ulta-fast speed
F10 - Screenshot

Are games getting so real that they aren't fun anymore? FragPipe has an article titled "Who took the fun out of gaming?" that delves into that very subject and takes it a little further saying that games are getting too real and making it boring for the players. Here's part of the beginning of the article:

"The presence of computer games tells us that real life is not fun, and we must create a suitable replacement for it. So why make games emulating real life? The Sims is an easy example. Not only do you get to have a different life, but it's as boring and mundane as your present one."

Check out the rest of this controversial article at FragPipe.com.

id Software level designer, Paul Jaquays updated his .plan with news of a release of the Team Arena model mesh art for all who are interested.
Here's what he had to say:

Team Arena Model Mesh Art

The link below will download the installer (with EULA) for the wire mesh art used to create the character skins for the Team Arnea models. Included are the mesh layouts for the two team models (male and female), all 11 character heads, and the mesh layouts for Pi and Fritzkrieg, the two tourney models.

Team Arena Skin Meshes

The Tribal CTF site has sent word that their beta is coming along well and will be released soon. The site has an update on the situation and has some brand new screenshots to show off. Check it all out on the Tribal CTF site.

A new version 1.1 of Quake ToolKit has been released. The Quake ToolKit utility is a simple, but very effective and multifunctional utility designed to give Q3A players, mappers and server administrators easy access to very useful tools.
New in this version is:

Added the Profile Manager
Added limited support for Team Arena in some tools
Renamed Map Compiler Shell to Map Compiler GUI, and it got an interface make-over
Map Compiler GUI now supports VLight
Complete Random Team Generator interface make-over.
Compiler doesn't pause for processes you're not running anymore
Compiler now saves all q3map flags you've tagged too
Changed compiler code to allow different pathnames to q3map and bspc
Fixed using // in the motd or hostname (server config)
Fixed Q3A 1.27 PR issue with server config (certain vars weren't changed in Q3A itself)
Toolkit can now start directly in window, quickbutton or trayicon mode
New Engines of Creation skin
Couple of visual changes
Added some extra functionalities (like multiselecting)
Couple of bug fixes

Gameloft's Bam_Bam has posted an interview with all female Babbage's CPL tournament participant Laila "Tuffy" Anakar. The interview covers Tuffy's thoughts about competing and has some comments about the CPL in general. Check it out at the GameLoft site.

Version 3.3 of Eternal Arena has been released. The new release includes a lot of fixes and enhancements including having all game modes available and there are no more config files to mess with.
Here is a list of new features:

New EA background
5 seconds Spawn Protection
Heavy Weapon gamemode - BFG Wars
Full Load gamemode - start with all weapons & unlimited ammo
bugfix with turning invisible on death
bugifx for player cloaking
Grapple weapon10 back in
Option to turn on/off: lagmeter, timer, scoreplumes, fps, miniscores & rewards.
Double Jumping (like Quake2)
Gamemode indicated on loading

Get more info on this terrific Q3A mod at Q3Center's Eternal Arena site.

Now that we have our spiffy "picture of the day" over there on the right, we need some pics to post. Send us in that cool Q3A screen shot you have been saving to potd@www.q3arena.com. You can include a small text caption as well. If you wish to remain anonymous please let us know.

The Savage UK site has been blistering with activity in the last few days and now has announced that the Savage Q3CTF Sunday League is accepting registrations for Season 4. At the same time they are asking clans which maps they would like to see in the next season. The top 7 maps picked by the clans will then be used in Season 4. The registration page can be found here.

The RTD Quake 3 site has a new Make it Compatible version 4.0 Final taking the Q3A conversion utility out of beta.
New in this utility that lets you switch between Q3A versions is:

Now uses the Point Release v1.17 Speed DLLs!
Fully Compatible with Point Release v1.27g and even v1.27h !!!
New User Interface!
NO BATCH FILES ANYMORE!
Now, it shows you your Point Release version number in a new window! (Windows!!! Not DOS!!!)
Some other fixes in the program code!

A new version 1.11 of Quake 3 Menu has been released. Quake 3 Menu is a script which provides an easy to use in-game menu that allows you to set virtually any game commands known to man from the console.
New in this version is:

Connection tweak submenu by UCGuides (Cool). Choose your modem type and then you have the best connection. Easy huh? (is in the Server submenu).
New commands (Point Release 1.27g/Team Arena).
Bugs Fixed.

Welcome to our new digs at Q3Arena.com!

With nearly 6 years of bringing you gaming news from Time2Quake.com, Quake2.com, and Q3Arena.com, our veteran staff will be bringing you all the latest gaming news you can handle.

You might also note we now have a lot more resources then before and there are plans to expand them as time goes on. Stay tuned for more updates about our new place.

TerryHell has released an update for their Q3 GMHook, a server side only mod, bringing it to version 2.8. The update fixes a small bug and also, by popular request, the server admin now has the option to set the hook so it will not hook other players. Check it out on the TerryHell site.

Registration for the new SavageUK QuakeIII Q3TDM league league has opened. The league will run on Monday nights, times to be decided depending on demand. They will be starting with a cup competition to decide which divisions clans should be in and to iron out any server issues. All clans interested in joining this league can sign up here.

Registration for the new SavageUK QuakeIII Rocket Arena 3 league has opened. The league will run on Wednesday nights, times to be decided depending on demand. All clans interested in joining this league can sign up here.

Team Reaction is offering a new version of their Quake 3 Jailbreak mod bringing it to version 1.27. As the version number suggests, it is compatible with the 1.27 point release and it adds some new server features as well. Check it out on the Team Reaction site.

A new version 1.1 of the SuperConfigurable Team Arena mod for Quake III: Team Arena has been released. SCTA is an enhancement for Q3 Team Arena servers which enables the serveradmin to have MUCH more control over the server than would normally be possible. The new version was released for stabilization purposes and adds the ability to log client IP's.
Here's a list of changes:

Added client IP logging functionality
Fixed up some coding that might have caused crashes
Better fix for the disable_item crash
Drop [item] usage information updated (to include drop weapon ability)
SCTA's defaults are now set such that installing SCTA changes NOTHING about TA except for the bugfixes and the MOTD.
Instead of asking to have sv_master5 set to report to our master server, SCTA will set it for you, unless you specifically shut it off via a CVAR.
PK3/VM format available. Using this version forces sv_allowdownload to 0. Please read the Documents section on the website for more information.

Explosive Design has posted some final weapons screenshots of their upcoming mod, Dark Ages. Dark Ages will be a total conversion of Q3A and is set in the middle ages.
Here's what they had to say about it:

"Dark Ages is a class-based teamplay mod settled in the Middle Age, so you don't fight with rocket launchers or machine guns but with magic spells and historic weapons like sword or longbow. Players gain experience, can upgrade their abilities and have special skills. Every class has their advantages, but also disadvantages, which makes teamplay very important..."

Hellfire Arena has moved to a new home and has released another patch for their Q3A mod. The patch, which is only needed if you downloaded the 1.1 patch a few days ago, fixes a "weird beep sound" and does not change the version number.

Q3Plug, a browser plugin that lets you view and play available Quake 3 servers on a website, has released version 1.1. The current version of Q3Plug supports the following games:

Quake 3 Arena (Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force, Return To Castle Wolfenstein)
Quake 2 (Sin, Kingpin, Soldier of Fortune)
Half Life (incl. HL Counterstrike)
Unreal Tournament

To find more information on this plugin go to the Q3Plug site.

The Coliseum2 team has released a new version 2.1 and is available as a full download or as an update to version 2.0. Both the new version and 2.0 are compatible with Point Release 1.27g.
New in this version is:

Removed inadvertent CD-Key check 1.27g conversion bug.
Fixed g_maxHealth 1.27g conversion bug.
Added server side configurable hook air-acceleration feature.
Added server side variable g_jumppads to disable jumppads. Experimental feature.

Here's what they said about disabling jumppads:

A word about Disabling JumpPads:

It needs emphasizing that the disable jumppads feature is only experimental at this phase. That means that in the next version, it either goes or stays depending on user response and feedback. I urge those who have an interest to either see it go or stay to please let me know on the Coliseum2 message board. As always, I can't take action on something if I don't know about it.
The disabling jumppads features is intended to help enhance hook play for diehard hook monkeys. It is hoped that with this feature, along with the new hook air-acceleration, that hook skills will have more tactical relevance.

Another beta version of Make it Compatible has been released bringing it to v3.2. Make it Compatible lets you play any version of Q3A to be compatible with any mod. This release is totally new compared to the previously released 1.0 and 2.0 versions as it is built with VB and it has a nice GUI to go along with it.
New Features include:

A version checker to tell you what version is installed
An option to start Quake 3 after the change
Point and Click Interface
No More Batch Files

Stomped has an interview with id Software's new level designer, Malvern Blackwell. The interview covers Malvern's level designing history, includes some quick questions about his prior work at Epic and Xatrix, the usual "How do you like working at id" questions and of course, a question about the upcoming Doom game.

Robert Duffy updated his .plan today with news of a 1.27h BETA patch for Q3A and Team Arena. The focal point of the .plan is that it is a BETA and should used at your own risk.

One other quick note, this will work fine on top of Team Arena and/or 1.27g ONLY. It will not work on top of 1.17 or prior versions. Once we release a full update in a few weeks there will be a complete installer to go from any version to the latest. This update is primarily intended for server admins to address the handicap exploit and it IS a BETA.

We have just put up 1.27h as a BETA. Since there has been mass confusion in the past, I said >>>BETA<<<. This addresses the handicap/guard exploit and fixes a few other issues. It is a .exe only release primarily intended for server administrators but it should be OK for client use as well. We had not intended to release an update until later this month or early next month but the handicap issue warranted a quick update.

The issues addressed in this BETA update are:
- Fixed James model bug
- CD Key read correctly when starting from Q3A vs TA shortcuts
- Handicap exploit fixed
- Bot routing bug fixed
- Potential 20 FPS increase for some clients :-)
- Sensitivity is back how it was

Please forward any issues or problems to bugs@idsoftware.com

Todd Hollenshead updated his .plan today asking for your help on testing a new beta Team Arena server-side executable that stops the "Guard" exploit. You do not have to download anything to test it out and your feedback will be welcome.
Here's what he had to say:

We're testing a new beta server-side executable that stops the "Guard" exploit. If you want to help us try it out, come and join on one of the following:

Terractf
192.246.40.83:27960

Harvester
192.246.40.159:27960

Oneflag
192.246.40.159:27961

Overload
192.246.40.86:27960

Tourney
192.246.40.86:27961

We'll probably jump on the Terrain server here in a little bit to maybe play a little id vs. everyone CTF and monitor the stability of the executable.

You don't have to download anything new since it's server only. Just join and play.

If you have any feedback specific to the server patch, please email it to bugs@idsoftware.com and put "New Executable Feedback" in the subject line. Please DO NOT email id employees directly as your feedback will just get lost.

Since the last beta of Kquery had quite a few bugs, another version is now available taking this alternate server browser to version 2.2.2 Build 415. This is not a beta version and fixes a whole boatload of bugs including a nasty ICQ bug. Check it out at the ColdStorage website.

Saddle up and grab the latest beta 1.2 version of Western Q3. The new version complies with Point Release 1.27g and offers the following fixes/enhancements:

PR 1.27g compatibility (can't play without it!)
Improved chasecam
Improved knife-physics
Faster Gameplay
Fixed "Round-Teamplay-Restart"-bug
Fixed "last dynamite"-bug
"Switch Fire Mode" has been replaced with "Alternative Fire"
Changed rifle accuracy and damage

A new Quake 3 Menu v1.10 has been released. Quake 3 Menu is a script program that uses an easy to use in-game menu via echo, that allows you to set virtually any cvar and command known to man from the console. Currently it will support over 1000 commands!
New in this version is:

Added a new Screen tweek that improve yours fps with 5-25% in Quake 3 (hardware performance).
New commands (now there are more than 1050 commands).
Some updates of Servers.

A new version of Q3A Battle of the Sexes has been released for both Linux and Win32 clients bringing the mod to v.1.1. BotS is a CTF mod with male and female teams. Here are some of the other features in the mod that the team told us about:

"You can run around as a soldier with a rocket launcher, become the Captain of your team and hand out promotions to improve your teammates after flag captures or become the Scientist for your team and give tech upgrades to your team's classes like firing rate, health and armor upgrades. There are a total of nine classes to choose from, each with very different skills and weapons, so you are bound to find a class that fits your playing style."

Find out more about this mod at the BotS site.

A new version 3.0 of Q_Check, a utility that works in conjunction with GameSpy to automatically set the user away and announce his/her location upon joining a game server, has been released. New in this release is:

Customizable Game/Mod Abbreviations - Users can now customize game and mod abbreviations (to be displayed in away message and in the "away nick") rather than rely on the script to generate them. Abbreviations can easily be added/deleted/edit via the Q_Check interface.
Perform Section - Q_Check can execute external mIRC commands/scripts when certain conditions are met. Currently, these conditions are: When the user joins a game server, when the user returns from a game server, when someone sends the user's "trigger keyword" to a channel, and when someone sends the user a private message (while the user is playing on a server).
Multiple Keyword Triggers - Users can now have multiple keyword triggers (previous versions were limited to just one). When someone types the user's keyword, Q_Check will announce the user's location (i.e. what server he/she is playing on).
"Not Playing" Template - If enabled, Q_Check will display the customizable "Not Playing" template when a person types the user's keyword trigger but the user is not playing on a server.
Other tweaks and bug fixes.

Grab this new version and get more info at the Q_Check website.

The Eternal Arena site has released a new 4.0 beta version of their mod for Q3A. The new release makes the mod compatible with Point Release 1.27g and adds a ton of new features. With some changes in the menu, there is not any support for single player or team games yet but it does offer full support for multiplayer and skirmish games. Here's a partial list of new features:

New TA based Menu Interface
New player selection and server setup menus
New multiplayer browser
New HUD layout and graphics
Weapons icons & ammo indicator on HUD
Crosshair in 3rd Person
Crosshair Stats
Crosshair Targeter

Check out the rest of the features and get the download by visiting an Eternal Arena site near you.

A new version 1.1 of .pakMOVER has been released. The utility lets modelers and skinners to easily manage and move .pak files around for Q3A. Get the new version at the Pharfrüminsain site.

A new version 1.10 of Classic CTF for Q3A has been released. The new version brings the mod to date making it compatible with Point Release 1.27g. In addition to being compatible, all of the new features of the point release have been implemented.
Here's a partial list of what you can expect:

Grappling hook (with Q1 style damage/latching)
Threewave CTF style Runes(Techs)
Q1 style Super Nailgun
Q1 style Lightning discharge
Q1 style Instant Weapon Switching
Q1/Q2 style Weaponstay
Q2 style armor classes

The list above is just part of the 30 features they have listed. To find out more, check out the Classic CTF site.

After releasing the Alliance 2.0 version, the Alliance Games team has released a 2.1 patch to fix a nasty server crashing bug caused by the Wizard Eye. Both servers and clients will need to get this new version patch at the Alliance Games site to fix the bug.

Graeme Devine updated his .plan this morning with news that id Software has released their Q3TA Video Compiler and has an explanation of what he is doing with OS X.
Here's what he had to say:

The RoQ video compiler is now in the tools directory on our ftp server. I've included several sample param files from id's games to get you all going. If you have specific problems getting it to work, email me and I'll try to help.

The new intro animation is 512x512, which is a lot of textures to be uploading per frame (the Q3A movies are all 512x256). All the ingame videos are either 256x256 or 128x128. Ingame videos cannot have sound.

I'll release the source to the decoder "soon" so RoQ can be used in other products besides Q3A derivative.

This is a command line image compression program, it takes tgas, jpegs, tiffs (or whatever) + a sound file and compresses them into a video stream. It is not Adobe Premiere! I have thought about converting it into a Quicktime codec so that it could be an export option from such a program, but time is always a crunch here at id for some strange reason.

Finally. OS X. I didn't yank, pull, grab or drop Omni's excellent work on Q3A to this platform. They are my friends, peers, and fine people. My reason for working on the OS X build in house is that I simply like OS X and I like working in it. I'll still share the code with Omni so they can help make the OS X build the best. In fact, I'd like to get more of the tools ported across to OS X as soon as possible so levels, and mod compiling can happen on this platform (see above for time crunch).

3D Center has a new version of Demo Show Creator 1.32a, a demo manager and player for Q3A demo files, has been released. Demo Show Creator, now supporting the new point release 1.27g, is an explorer like tool where you can manage and replay many thousands of Q3A demos.

A new 2.12 beta release of Q3A SC.Stats is available. Q3A SC.Stats is program which converts server stats to HTML output.
New in this release is:

bugfix: kill parser did exit when many players connect and disconnect during a game (eg. bots)
bugfix: scores did not calculate correctly on q3TA games....
bugfix: Server info did not parse the last entry (missing )
bugfix: megaBUG in CTF/OneFlag CTF games corrected (Teams did score when taking the neutral flag)
ToDo: Next version I'll take care on spectators... (bug: they get the GOD medal now ;) )

Alliance Games has released their new Alliance 2.0. The release comes in two flavors, a 71.3MB patch for those who have version 1 or the full 2.0 release which is a whopping 118MB. Why so big? Alliance 2.0 comes with 3 game types, 26 custom CTF maps, new weapons, specially effects, radio sounds and lots more. Get it while its hot on the Alliance Games site.

The Eternal Arena site has released a new beta Q3A menu mod called Eternal Menu. It is a program that changes the "crappy boring q3 original interface uptodate with the cool team arena interface". This first release is only good for multiplayer and skirmish games. Check it out on the Eternal Arena page.

The Urban Terror team has released an installer that will configure the Urban Terror mod version 1.27 for the Macintosh. The installer will even detect more than one version of Q3A and ask you which one you want to update. Grab it at the Urban Terror website.

UI Enhanced 0.99 for 1.27g, a mod that offers an advanced user interface for Q3A, has been released. The new version offers the following 1.27g features:

Selection of separate head and team models in the model/skin browser.
Disabling of map items for skirmish/multiplayer/scripts, or using the in-game menu.
Saved script files from 0.99 can now be loaded back into UI Enhanced, recovering the parameters used to setup the script in the first place (most asked for feature).

Check out the UI Enhanced site for more information and screenshots.

Reactive Software has released version 2.03b of Q3Comp, a front end for Q3A and Team Arena that helps you manage your levels and mods.
Here's whats new in the release:

Fixed team locking and unlocking.
Fixed specator mute and team_say.
Removed some debugging messages.

If you downloaded the Qtracker version 2.3 Beta 21 released on Saturday, there is now a patch which address's some bugs in the release. The patch is fairly small (716k) and should be used only if you have the 2.3 Beta 21 from December 30th.

Polycount has a flamethrower available without having to use a mod to get it! Here's what the author said about it:

" Flamethrower for the Standard Quake 3 Arena game, no Mod required. The flamethrower replaces the lightning gun in the standard Quake 3 Arena game. Flamethrower has all new sounds, skins, shaders, mesh, and throws flames, not lightning......no LODS, sorry. I have a 333mhz, 16MB Video. It runs fine on my system.

I made the handle on the flamethrower wood. Why? Because I wanted to. Does anything in Quake3 make sense?"

Check it out on the Polycount site and burn um up!