Quake IV - I feel cheated.

[NutritioN]

It's frustrating that games are still released with poor server browsers. I use UT2004's the most and have never felt restricted by it, as far it goes.

Q4's is pretty bad, to get the list I want to start from I have to click one column 4 times, another column once, and another one once or twice. It won't remember my preference and it's easy to lose your sorting by clicking on another column. gah. I don't play enough games to bother with installing another program like ASE. Maybe I should.

 

[HangTime]

Well to be honest good in-game server browsers are only really necessary for 'newbies'; experienced gamers will be used to using an external one, and ASE is going to be better than any in-game browser anyway. ASE is just a fantastic piece of software because it's lists are kept so up to date, although it should be said that I've got a softspot for it due to it being coded by a couple of Quakeworld players

As for the game I thought Quake 4 was OK, not as good as titles from 2004 such as Far Cry, Doom 3 and Halflife 2 but still perfectly reasonable fare. In my experience FPS games can get away with a lack of innovation, and average ones are still good fun to play.

It's also true to say that while Quake4 isn't quite up to the high standards of some rival franchises, it's a vast improvement on the previous singleplayer incarnation, Quake2. The only annoyance for me was that not enough of the Strogg from Q2 made a return, I'd have loved to be battling Gladiators etc.

For what it's worth, I completed Star Trek: Elite Force 2 a week or so ago and it's not a patch on Q4.

 

[ethan]

I bought it simply not 2 think. In a way it's like a little light reading .

 

[vapor matt]

Q2 evolved! much better than the original graphicly speaking, but has the great quake feel.

Played Q4 and yes the GFX were good looking if not a bit doomy, but i still prefere Q2 and the Q2 evolved just makes it look even better!


its one of the games i could never get rid of! just part of my gameing history i cant sell it.

 

[mortals]

Well to be honest good in-game server browsers are only really necessary for 'newbies'; experienced gamers will be used to using an external one, and ASE is going to be better than any in-game browser anyway.

yer I agree. Don't really know why they decided to fix the bugs they had with the ingame one no one really used it. XQF is a lot better.
Would have been more constructive to fix the real bugs.

 

[mortals]

Q2 evolved! much better than the original graphicly speaking, but has the great quake feel.

Played Q4 and yes the GFX were good looking if not a bit doomy, but i still prefere Q2 and the Q2 evolved just makes it look even better!


its one of the games i could never get rid of! just part of my gameing history i cant sell it.

I loved quake2 back in the day hehe so many good times, weap drops etc really made it interesting.

I might have to give q2 evolved a go are there many peeps playing it online?

 

[NutritioN]

Sorry to stay OT, about server browsers...

Can you give me a few of the reasons that you use third party server browsers? I've tried them now and again when people have mentioned them, but can't see enough reason to switch. What features do you use in them?

You say ASE's lists are kept up to date HangTime. What lists? the Master Server list? Surely the game can get those? It looks like a good program whenever I've tried it but not more efficient than joining in-game.

Comments please

 

[afraser2k]

I thought the single player in Quake 4 was a lot of fun and didn't notice any bugs. Although rather linear for an FPS these days and a plot rip-off from Area 51 (where you change into a bad guy) I thought the combat action was good. The vehicles felt nice as well.

I was never a great fan of Q3A so only played the Q4 multi-player a few times with other forum members.

 

[pegasus1]

Ive never played Quake in my life or unreal for that matter so i was plaesently surprised after a good couple of hours gaming, its lovely to look at (ive a decent system) and although linear is fun to play. It doesnt have the "edge of your seat" scenes of say AvP2 (truly scary) but if yu have powerfull hardware and a good surround sound setup then once you turn of the lights its as good as ive played for atmosphere. (not played FEAR yet though).

 

[richard1973]

i dont agree with the fps being mediocre lately, infacts its the complete opposite. Since Doom 3, weve had its follow up, and FEAR, and Q4 and COD2 all looking visually stunning and a huge leap forward with gfx and in FEAR's case AI too. shadows, fire, water effects, particles all leaping forward in detail. Think back to a couple of years ago, loads up the top games from around 2003 the difference is massive.

Back on topic of Q4, i really enjoyed the SP campaign, sure the layout and such hasn't changed much from all other SP campaigns, but it looked great and was very enjoyable to play. what more do you want really? As for the MP i've not tried that, but I mainly go for SP campaigns I've no interest in online play against people I dont know an will never see again.

 

[Psyk]

i dont agree with the fps being mediocre lately, infacts its the complete opposite. Since Doom 3, weve had its follow up, and FEAR, and Q4 and COD2 all looking visually stunning and a huge leap forward with gfx and in FEAR's case AI too. shadows, fire, water effects, particles all leaping forward in detail. Think back to a couple of years ago, loads up the top games from around 2003 the difference is massive.

I think the point people are making is that these are just graphical enhancements. Not that much new has been done with the gameplay. Although graphics and gameplay aren't as seperate as some people think.

 

[richard1973]

all that plus it was enjoyable to play. it has yer team stuff, it has yer on ya bill stuff, it has u changing into a strogg, it has sections where you wander around space station giving you freedom to explore and listen in to convo's, it has the loveable end of section baddies, it has a good story.

All the game is is a continuation of Q2 so you cant expect more from it, it's Q2 with upto date technology mainly, plus the interaction with team etc.

As far as an FPS goes, what would people expect to see different or would like to? You start adding different game elements it doesn't become an FPS shooter anymore it becomes an adventure game and looses its action.

 

[richard1973]

and just to add Q4 was never meant to be a follow up to Q3 MP game, it was a Q2 single player continuation with a bit of a MP thrown in to give it a bit more shelf life.

 

[HangTime]

You say ASE's lists are kept up to date HangTime. What lists? the Master Server list? Surely the game can get those?

That's exactly the point - most browsers are dependent on master server lists, which are very often outdated. ASE, on the other hand, has it's own scanners for locating servers, and also allows individuals to add servers.

So lets say I've just found out about a new server a mate has set up on their hosted box in London. I can just add the iport into ASE, untick the "private" box and then the server will be 'known' by ASE, there is no dependancy on master server lists.

If you don't believe me, give it a try. Refresh ASE and see how many servers it finds, and then compare to a standard server browser like Gamespy, or an in-game browser.

For older games, which often have dead master servers, it really comes into it's own. I'd estimate that 90% of the active Quakeworld servers, for example, are not reporting to an active master. It's one of the reasons why gamespy stats for older games tend to underestimate how many players they have.

 

[bfar]

As far as an FPS goes, what would people expect to see different or would like to? You start adding different game elements it doesn't become an FPS shooter anymore it becomes an adventure game and looses its action.

Well thats a fair question.

But the trouble is a lot of these games aren't even doing what they set out to do in the first place. Many of the elements that are there are poorly executed, or have been done much better in the past. Poor voice script and acting for example, no excuse! AI is average too - probably just ported the code from an older game. These things pull down the good parts of the game.

 

[NutritioN]

...give it a try. Refresh ASE and see how many servers it finds, and then compare to a standard server browser like Gamespy, or an in-game browser.

Don't get me wrong I want you to be right, that's why I'm asking. But I just found the following:

UT2004 Deathmatch:
ASE- 355 servers
in-game- 1070 servers (of which a couple of hundred had no ping value)

UT2004 CTF:
ASE- 110 servers
in-game- 359 servers (of which maybe 50 had no ping value)

Quake 4 DM:
ASE- 55 servers and NO-ONE playing
in-game- not going to check (cba)

I haven't messed with ASE so there shouldn't be any filters etc. setup. Is there something I can fix or is it just not doing its job? If I'm joining a friends game or any specific game I'll have the IP and put into the ingame browser + favs.

Thanks for the info

 

[Phalanx]

I haven't played that Star Trek game. I did find Quake IV enjoyable, thought it was quite intense playing even if it was incredibly generic.

 

[vapor matt]

well Q2 evolved is a lot more fun now, take lost station, there is no save every 5 mins you have to do it in 1 to get that double barrel shotgun. and yes Q4 was GFX intensive with some nice bits, but Q2 is still the better game and q2 evolved is even better because you get modern GFX in a great game.

I remeber this game on the twin voodoo2's and thinking it cant get better than this lol

long live Q2 what a game!

 

[mortals]

I tried q2 evolved and it was fun until I completed the first sector and got a BSOD with a deafening screech coming from my headphones

 

[Curio]

Don't get me wrong I want you to be right, that's why I'm asking. But I just found the following:

UT2004 Deathmatch:
ASE- 355 servers
in-game- 1070 servers (of which a couple of hundred had no ping value)

UT2004 CTF:
ASE- 110 servers
in-game- 359 servers (of which maybe 50 had no ping value)

Quake 4 DM:
ASE- 55 servers and NO-ONE playing
in-game- not going to check (cba)

I haven't messed with ASE so there shouldn't be any filters etc. setup. Is there something I can fix or is it just not doing its job? If I'm joining a friends game or any specific game I'll have the IP and put into the ingame browser + favs.

Thanks for the info

I just tried Kquery4.

Total Quake4 servers = 970
Number of servers with people on = 47

Total Quake3 servers = 1366
Number of servers with people on = 346

When Q4 first came out there were only a handful of servers in my range (that I get anything like a good ping to) and now there are none. Zero. Well, there are some.....but there's never anybody on them