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Archived News:
id Software CEO Todd Hollenshead updated
his .plan (thanks Webdog for the backup while BlueTracker sucks oxygen under
the heavy strain tonight) with some more notes on the imminent release, being
termed a demo test. Here's the scoop: Demo Test notes:
As Graeme indicated, this is a preliminary release. We are retaining the
prohibition on physical media distribution until we release the final or
"gold" demo. That means that magazines will NOT be allowed to
distribute this version of the demo on coverdisks. This is marked all over the
test, however I would appreciate it if all of the Quake 3 and game site
webmasters that are mirroring or covering the release would lend me a hand and
make sure our friendly neighborhood game and computer magazines understand this.
Rest assured, we will allow physical media distribution of the final demo, once
it is released, but not yet.
Second, although the 1-800-idgames number is on the screen, we (id) aren't
accepting orders yet. Also, please remember that number is not for technical
support for Quake III Arena, the demo test, or any other id game. Feedback,
bugs, etc., in the demo test should still be sent to feedback@quake3arena.com
Finally, before the crazy speculation starts, we aren't done with the game yet.
We will be finished "when it's done!" Again, anyone besides id
claiming to have the official release date is just pulling your chain.
Enjoy!
Ever the tease, id Software's Christian Antkow updated his
.plan with more on the Quake III demo, including the file size (50 MB or
so). Here are the details: Ok. For the curious, it's looking like...
11/14/99 07:34p 52,123,258 q3DemoTEST.exe
We're doing final testing now. Sandpiper has been called and they are aware
that we're planning on a release tonight. The file will simultaneously be made
available on our FTP site (heh) and Sandpipers distribution network through
www.quake3arena.com.
Ok Quake Community... Lets show Sandpiper what we're made of and really stress
out their network =)
id's Graeme Devine updated his
.plan again with some details on what's going to be in the demo that should
be released tonight. Here's
the scoop: Just so we’re all sure. This isn’t the general demo.
If all goes well we’ll upload the general demo in a few days.
The demo contains four maps (q3dm1, q3dm7 (q3test1), q3dm17 (q3test2) &
q3tourney2 (q3tourney) and six characters (Sarge, Visor, Major, Grunt, Daemia,
& Stripe). Bots are in there on five difficulty settings (from “I can
win!” to “nightmare!”).
John Carmack updated his .plan with his latest work log, as well as the news
that the Win32 version of the Quake III: Arena demo could very well be released
tonight. Here's the full .plan: The demo test is built. It should go up
in a couple hours if nothing explodes.
Mac and linux builds won't be out tonight.
* clear SVF_BOT when exiting follow mode
* render temp memory
* new mac GL initialization code
* no zone memory use in music thread
* added check for trash past zone block
* explicitly flush journal data file after a write
* added FS_Flush
Confirming this is Graeme Devine's .plan update: Quake 3 Arena demo test should be out tonight. Watch the skies!
The German games site GXP has posted two new
screenshots from Bungie's teamplay oriented third person action title Halo (thanks
satcyz). The shots are very impressive, with one showing off a previously unseen
turret.
Version 2.3 Beta 12 of QTracker,
the game server browser/MP3 Streaming Audio browser/HTML server list generator
has been released. This new version adds support for Wheel of Time, Nerf Arena
Blast, and Rainbow Six.
Spills, Chills and '80s Thrills is the title of an interview with Interstate '82 lead designer Zack Norman on the Adrenaline Vault. Here is a bit on the game's focus on more action-packed gameplay:
In the pre-release version I played, the simulation aspects are downplayed and the driving model is very simple to grasp. Was this conscious choice to create a more accessible game?
Absolutely. At the end of Interstate 76, we had the luxury of going out to our marketplace and asking people what they wanted. What do you
feel is right, what do you feel is not right, and what do you want to see in another Interstate game? The overwhelming response was very
interesting. What people said they wanted was cool weapons, cool effects, cool physics, cool this and cool that. Then we scrutinized the
things they didn’t say they wanted. The features they didn’t talk about as being their favorite happened to be some of the more
simulation-type element like salvage, multiple facings for damage, and the legacy of paper game ideology that went into the design of the
original game. So we were successful in answering a desire that the user base had for a fun, fast, action-oriented Interstate experience
without sacrificing too many of the simulation elements that speak to the feeling of driving a car, or at least driving a car with guns on it
[laughs].
Federation HQ has posted four new screenshots of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Fallen, the upcoming Unreal-engine powered action game by The Collective and Simon & Schuster.
GA-RPG has posted an interview with Todd Templeman, producer at The Logic Factory for Seeker: One - The Story of Mimb, an upcoming 3D action role-playing game. There are a couple of new screenshots, each speaking a thousand words, and here's how the game can be described in just a few dozen:
I think the best way to think of it is if you combine the concept of a big RPG game for the PC that
has some of the elements of a Baldur's Gate or a Diablo combined with the full 3D interactivity of
a Mario or Zelda for the console, then you get a bit of the picture.
Lanced.net has posted the last two of their six screenshots of Starlancer, the upcoming space combat game by Digital Anvil. One of the images shows a starship's exterior, and the other what looks like the game's logo.
As (repeatedly) promised, here is a zip file with the high resolution .tga
originals of the Quake III Arena renders (1.33 MB) posted
the other day in .jpg format ( story).
Again, here's the description of the two images that id's modeler Paul Steed sent
along with the shots: tier1_groupshot.tga
When you finish one tier or group of four maps your reward will be a short
animation. This cinematic features massive vault-like doors opening up to
reveal your new set of opponents that will be in the next set of four maps.
I render all the characters in interesting/dramatic poses both in a group and
separately. This is the pose for Klesk showing what he does when not
fragging happily in the arenas.
klesk_eat3.tga
This is what it looks like once the doors are open and the new opponents are
revealed for the first time. Keep in mind that although the characters are
beefed up with more polygons they have the same textures that are in the game.
The fact that they hold up under hi-rez scrutiny is a testament to the Skillz of
Mr. Kenneth Scott. He is to be commended.
Developer's
Corner has posted Exclusive BOB and COP in-game character shots showing off
a couple of high resolution shots from Shiny's upcoming Messiah in 1024x768
32-bit color. One of the in-game shots is of a cop who has been possessed (as
evidenced by his stylin' halo), and the other is of the game's protagonist, Bob,
the diaper-clad cherub (who looks like he needs a changing in this shot, unless
he's just an early developer).
PlanetBattlezone sends word of an
update to the Official Battlezone 2 Forum
by Activision's Matt Candler giving the status of this (hopefully)
soon-to-be-released first-person strategy sequel to the cult hit BattleZone.
Here's the scoop: Its such a catch-22. If we ship it early, we get
roasted for shoddy attention. If we hold it to fix the bugs, we get roasted for
making the fans wait.
Everyone on the team would love to ship it so that we can have our lives back.
We also want to ship something that allows us the opportunity to work on another
project.
I will give you an update, I took all of the open bugs in the database over to
Pandemic this morning, sat down in front of the huge grey slab that serves as a
coffee table, cut all of the bugs into individual assignments and distributed
them to the team. About 60% came back as labeled as Verified Fix for QA to go
over on Monday, 10% went to the team to address (mainly hardware compatibility
or asset fixes) and 30% went to George and Andrew since they have their hands so
deep in the guts of the game.
We're going to bang on the multiplayer code all weekend to verify that its
robust and keep polishing.
Its close, and just needs the finishing touches.
The Wheel of Time keeps on rolling. So does the SpaceOrb, which apparently still
has devoted fans other than American McGee. As is their way, Birdman's
Lair has posted support files to allow effective use of this oddball (pun
intended) controller.
Well the danger of the website prediction rears its ugly head again, as I
mentioned I would post those hi-resolution .tga versions of the Q3A renders from the other day, but
experienced a bit of a delay working out how to get a mirror up on CDROM.Com (a
delay as in banging my head against a wall through a good portion of yesterday's excruciatingly
slow news day). It was troublesome simply because it's been a while since we've availed ourselves of this mirror since most of the files we post are going to be found on there somewhere anyway, and we haven't been doing much in the way of files lately because our currently overly-limited local FTP server doesn't really make a dent when there's heavy demand. I
finally got the CDROM upload worked out and I will post a page for the files shortly after I
get this update posted...sorry about the delay, but enough folks expressed
interest in these files that I wanted to make sure to have a good mirror up.
These speed bumps will be smoothed out eventually though, I think I may have mentioned
when Frans came on board that his extensive experience in managing file
downloads (as well as how on top of new file releases he is) have made him the
file-meister general around here. It's just going to take a bit of time to get a
re-vamped files section online to let him play around with.
Link of the Day: Radiskull
and Devil Doll an animated shockwave music video. To deny its genius is to
deny reality. Thanks Colin W.
Story of the Day: Planet Found Beyond Solar System.
Thanks SlagMan. Small moves Ellie... small moves...
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