Q2 was the raison etre for this board and most of the people posting on it. Hell, there was even a Q2-based wedding spawned from it. Now it seems few of us do FPS games, let alone Q2 or Q3 anymore.

I think primarily there was one thing drawing me to this pastime, and that was the "social" aspect. We had a fast compiling and responding BBS that practically seemed like a chat room. The interaction there evolved into games at night where the BBS participants met played and socialized. I remember someone even designed a "lounge" into a map that essentially was a neutral zone where one could take a break from the fracas and chat with one's cohorts. Outside players that happened on to these games got drawn into the BBS. You guys know the story. You were there, you're the ones that did it ...

Obviously we can't easily go back to those days. Guys outgrow the amusement form, or get involved with other genres. Others find their schedules (or wives) won't allow it.

It's a damn shame we can't, though. It was a ball and there were many brief moments where, although I was sitting in solitude in front of my computer, I wasn't alone. I was somewhere else, some far away mystical place getting my ass shot off or falling into lava ... and laughing my shot-up ass off while doing it. I learned how to pump a processor's speed up over 50%, and what video card would enhance the afore-mentioned fantasy (and frame rate) best, to somehow increase my "frags-per-hour" rating.

That was, what ? Six years ago ? It seems like yesterday and, at the same time, it seems like decades ago. Now I occasionally play MOHAA, BF'42 or SOF2 to get some cheap fun and release. But it isn't the same. I gotta contend with wall-hacks and aim-hacks. I gotta settle for servers that kick you if you have a "non-standard model", say "shit" twice, or don't have "punk-buster" ... although the place is overrun with punks... and mouth-breathers that smack talk at you while not being able to spell words with over 3 letters or put together a grammatically recognizable sentence.

I know you think this is turning into a "good ol' days" rant. Hell, I suppose it is. But I guess I wasn't quite ready to give it up. For one, the damn equipment just keeps getting better and better. This makes that virtual environment we all loved to escape to just better and better. I suppose that, at the same time, it makes competitive participation that much more difficult due to the expense. When your kid needs a new pair of shoes, that $300 video card can seem just a little extravagant (at least to the uninitiated or uninformed).

I was whimsically thinking prior to pounding this insipid shit out. Wouldn't it be amusing if one of us set up a decent server for a game we could agree on? One that utilizes Team Speak or Roger Wilco? Leave it up or turn it on at pre-assigned times for a weekly "game night" and a number of informal "practice sessions". Imagine (if you can remember)a Hammerton with voice capability ???

It ain't that hard to do ....

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Is anyone still interested in the style of gaming we all once enjoyed, the cameraderie? I for one miss the "old days", but I truly think that we can do it again!

I miss laughing my ass off when trying to get a bead on Jaraxle, and him railing me instantly once he enters the room! I miss the beatings Probie provided me on a regular basis. And RoGuEBiTcH, the maniacal jumping dancer of death! Hell, all of you that are reading this know what I mean here...

Let's do something. Anything. Even going back to Quake2, if necessary. I have an itch to get smacked down, so waddya say?

O

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1. With the Q3 engine, the visuals are quite decent. This engine does offer a familiar platform for modification of your own configs.
2. It can run on a 700 MHz machine with a Geforce 2 MX and still yield frame rates (if one was THAT concerned with frame rates, he wouldn't be running those specs. But, we ARE an inclusionary group here)
3. The CD's are (ahem, uh, er ...) copy-able. OR the game's been out long enough that it should be discounted fairly deeply. Damn, I'm sure if there was a good response, we could make sure the game was available ...
4. It is quite fun, with locational damage and a number of game types and mods out. It "feels" a bit like Q2/Q3 as it's fairly fast and visceral.
5. It supports TeamSpeak and Roger Wilco.

This last point is important. Providing one has a full duplex sound card, a $15 - $20 investment for a headset / mic, or even just $10 for a mic, allows the FULL SOCIAL ASPECT of verbal communication. I think this is what could drive this thing. I watch (/hear) my kids do it as their SOF2 clans encourage (if not demand) this add -on.

[ 05-16-2003: Message edited by: jondster ]

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Is it similiar to Quake 3 as far as running a dedicated server? My wife's machine is a P3 450, 256MB ram. Maybe we can use it as a dedicated...

O

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All I play these days is QIII CTF usually with the same guys which makes it even more fun.

On occasion I fire up QII which is always a blast.

I'm looking forward to Doom III and Quake IV. I hope Quake IV will have a single player but I doubt it will.

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I miss those days as well.

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Hell Ron, what kind of sound quality would you expect from a $15 headset w/ mic ? I went to a Geek Show and picked up a couple @ $12 ea for my kids cuz Denni and I were getting weary of the gunshots and explosions rumbling through the floor, while the boys wanted mics for Team Speak. This works fine. However, if you (like me) have decent speakers attached to an Audigy2, you'll probably want to keep the sound and just add a decent mic. If you're referring to the sound quality of the voices, I'd say it was better than the average telephone.

I set up dedicated servers at the clinic and noticed that the set-up for SOF2 or MOHAA is similar to Q3, just a different GUI. However, like any other game server, RAM is the key. 256MB won't cut it as a client (IMO) let alone a server.

Look, if you want to do this, and you have synchronous DSL (or good upload bandwidth), and we get a few guys interested here ... I'd help donate towards some additional RAM. I'd recommend adding another 512MB or get it up to a GIG. Does hers use SDRam or DDR ? (SDRam now costs more than DDR)
Let's talk ...

[ 05-16-2003: Message edited by: jondster ]

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O

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Let's see if we can get some others to jump on this concept. I'll give you a ring regarding the other issue(s).

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SOF2 or Q3 even.

I have a bootleg copy of SOF2 but I'm willing to buy it to play MP if needed. I have the headset already and used it a bit for Q2 RA with some friends a while ago.

It would be cool to get outrider and a few others.

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As always: 2114777

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quote:

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(got into Robotics, Yo-Yoing, Writing, and Girls (not in that order))

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Howdy, Drako! How are things? I haven't talked with you in a coon's age!

O

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Maybe we can rustle up some additional interest on this.

Good to hear from you guys !!!

[ 05-19-2003: Message edited by: jondster ]

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What up Drako!!