Func_Msgboard: What Keeps The Quake Community So Active?

What Keeps The Quake Community So Active?

Posted by DaZ on 2016/01/05 12:34:45

So I've been going over 2015's releases for addon levels for various games I follow and was surprised to find that Quake has actually overtaken Half-Life in both release quality and quantity of releases. Here are some quick and dirty stats from quaddicted/RTSL:

Quake Releases: 17

Half-Life Releases: 9

Half-Life 2 Releases: 19

Keep in mind that many of the Quake releases are Jams and other multimap releases, so the number of actual maps released last year will be much higher. The same can be said for Half-Life 2 as RTSL released 4 *ville competition packs last year.

I was chatting with Phillip (he runs RTSL) before christmas about this and we were both fairly surprised that an older game with a smaller community could put out more and higher quality content than a game which came out later, had massive mainstream appeal and a giant modding community.

Why do you think this is? What is different and/or unique about Quake that fosters such an active community? Does the Quake community do anything different to other communities that helps in this regard?

Would love to hear everyone's thoughts!

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#51 posted by Kinn on 2016/01/08 01:57:43

...and our gameplay ideas / level designs.

I Keep Coming Back To Quake After 20 Years

#52 posted by dumptruck_ds on 2016/01/08 02:08:56

mainly because of the tools and engine refreshes. I can confidently say that I would not be mapping right now if it weren't for Trenchbroom. Over the years I've used Quest (original release), BSP, Qoole, Phase2, GTKRadiant, Hammer etc and TB just grabbed me. Not as a novelty, but as more of a true evolution that makes sense and feels "right". Now TB and QS, MarkV, the compilers etc would be NOTHING without a supportive and generous community to help spread the good word.

Another thing is inspiration. Watching Daz play through some of these amazing works of art is truly inspiring. As soon as I see a new playthrough I want to jump on my system and start mapping immediately.

#53 posted by mfx on 2016/01/08 02:10:53

So to answer this threads question daz, go make more videos!

/closed

#54 posted by adib on 2016/01/08 04:09:16

supportive and generous community

I said that once, czg said "wow", Lunaran called me crazy, Warren called me gay. Lots of love going on <3

Yes, this community does cause a positive impact on newcomers. This answers what Sleepwalkr said about new people still coming.

#55 posted by PuLSaR on 2016/01/08 11:02:21

Another thing is inspiration. Watching Daz play through some of these amazing works of art is truly inspiring.

True. I've been away from quake mapping since about 2007. Daz's videos and streams (discovered them because of hl2 videos back then) gave me the first impact to return to quake mapping. The second impact was the quality of the modern maps. Seeing new names producing awesome content is inspiring as well.

And yes,
daz, go make more videos!

#56 posted by Baker on 2016/01/09 07:40:31

func_msgboard is like Hogwarts.

There are wizards everywhere running around casting spells and arguing and sharing obscure level design secrets and rarely used compiler switches. Occasionally a visiting sorcerer is lured into the mix and decides to setup shop.

The alchemists are in their labs turning ordinary metals into gold, arguing about the number of neutrons required to create the ideal isotope.

The philosophers and the bureaucrats have a pedigree. The users, most uncommon. Even the janitors are quite unusual. The critics bite with a forked tongue that often echos to lands abroad and resonates.

The mappers are real mappers. The players are real players. And the small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri are real small furry creatures from Alpha Centauri.

#57 posted by FifthElephant on 2016/01/09 13:47:20

wat

#58 posted by necros on 2016/01/09 13:48:46

Baker is baking now!

#59 posted by oh, that person on 2016/01/09 13:51:31

Who's the basilisk?

#60 posted by Kinn on 2016/01/09 14:02:49

Baker/Madfox duality confirmed

/me Votes Vondur For Heir Of Slytherin

#61 posted by oh, that person on 2016/01/09 14:33:23

#62 posted by scar3crow on 2016/01/10 06:37:15

It wasn't simply that they didn't know what the final form of the tech would be; new builds kept breaking maps and meshes, leading to lots of scrapped work. That can be demoralizing. Then throw in the fact that every one was kind of doing their own thing... And it wasn't one contiguous team. Willits started mapping for Quake in early 96. Romero finished the tools in December 95. Cramped timelines, no clear goal, progress being lost... But yeah, not the typical Development Hell situation. I've been there as QA, working 80 hour weeks on month old builds, and when a build arrives, no bug fixes...

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