VOGON Q3 v1.666

[dyn]

Finally, VOGON Q3 mod is available for download, including full source code!

Download, unpack to Quake III Arena install and read the readme for info about cvars/commands and other crap.

Mod is in QVM format, compatible with Windows, Linux and Mac. There are few sample configs included for FFA / CTF / InstaCTF / InstaKill / TDM / 1vs1 / dedicated server, and even Single player.

Download: http://vogon.vg/q3/vogonq3-1666.zip (336 K)

MD5 of qagame.qvm:
6a0acd16c95371f36d9c438bdcc23d14 *qagame.qvm

[IJ]

sweet

[AG]

awesome. thanks dyn.

[Gumby]

Thanks for your hard work on this Dyn, we ALL appreciate it!

[dyn]

Thanks!

I fixed one example in readme text file, so if you downloaded mod in past 2 hours, please re-download it and discard old one. Only readme is modified, nothing else.

New file info: vogonq3-1660.zip / 342,879 bytes / MD5: 6f7fad7227c689def52a882e47b7bcad

[dyn]

I did some testing with QVM and 64-bit .so (same as .dll for windows). Biggest difference is when you use vm_game 2, some mods use vm_game 1 which is much slower, because code is interpreted, and 2 compiles it. On very small map with 64 clients results were like that:
qvm + vm_game 1 - ~50-58% CPU load
qvm + vm_game 2 - ~18% CPU load
so + optimized + 64bit server/game ~14% CPU load

So, always use +set vm_game 2 for qvm when creating shortcuts or starting Q3. There are similar switches for cgame and ui (+set vm_ui 2 +set vm_cgame 2), however both default to 2, so you don't need to specify them.

This is just for info, VOGON mod already uses +vm_game 2, so you don't need to change anything.

[1UnRaTeD1]

thank ya buddy

[dyn]

If you are experimenting with dedicated server, make sure any password in server.cfg is replaced by something secure. Only dedicated server reads server.cfg. This is when Q3 runs entirely from console, without graphical interface. Other game modes do not use server.cfg and are not public. You can edit .cfg files with any text editor.

Locally you can connect to your dedicated server simply by using machine name, ie. /connect MYPC (computer name you specified during OS install, usually visible under Networking or Computer Properties). It is possible to run dedicated server and client on the same physical PC, and it's much better than single listen server.

[IriDeck]

Awesome. Thanks for providing this, Dyn. As Q3 continues to fade into obscurity so that only us die-hard fans play it, we'll be sure to keep this running and make sure everyone knows you're the father of it!

Although, a freeze-tag version still would be nice, and probably quite challenging to code....wink wink nudge nudge

[dyn]

Thanks! Most stuff in mod was done back in 2004 (powerups, speed, ...), but we had no cvars back then. Later i added a few and other settings like weapon speed/splash/radius were still hard-coded until recently. It was no problem since we didn't change those much and we had few universal ones, like vg_wpAmmofactor and vg_wpSpeedFactor.

Freeze tag is open sourced as well, and i believe all mods based on Q3 source should be open sourced and authors credited for their work. I was looking at it few years ago, and it's nice clean code, maybe even too much of it. Nothing bad, but i prefer simple additions and solutions over projects which take a lot of time and debugging. I think freeze style of gameplay is a bit non-compatible with our preferred way of playing. There is vg_lms 1, which puts players to spec mode, of course it's not a mod in itself, just a quick 20 min addition to the mod, and it may be interesting to try now and then. Perhaps someone could take time and combine freeze with this mod, or modify freeze source itself ( i think license allows it ). There is one big problem with Q3 - lack of players, and it's outdated game. id Software should release DOOM 3 source already.

[dyn]

VOGON Q3 v1.666 released!

1.660 -> 1.666 CHANGES
================================================================
- fixed prestep calculation, which also fixes hook attaching itself to objects behind player at very high firing speeds
- modified Teleport explosion effect
- AF ON/OFF text repositioned (client command /af), old one was printed over powerup timers
- ammo and delay cvars always need map restart, so they are latched (tip: for fast restart use /r 0, or /rcon r 0 for servers)
+ there is also /nm command to load next map, or restart current map if there is no nextmap defined

Download: http://vogon.vg/q3/vogonq3-1666.zip (336 K)

MD5 of qagame.qvm:
6a0acd16c95371f36d9c438bdcc23d14 *qagame.qvm

[dyn]

I did some testing with ioquake3 dedicated server and i can say 32bit (x86) server is faster than 64bit. Also there is something weird going on with x64, VM compilation is slower and after 8-12 hours there are some micro delays or even memory leaks, not affecting gameplay much, but still not something you would expect from solid server, so we are back at 32bit, which is faster and rock solid.

Difference between ioquake3 64bit and 32bit is roughly 1% when CPU load was around 22% and when 32bit CPU load was 75%, 64 bit was at 81-84%. Of course this is extreme test at high fps with 64 bots with uncompiled VM. Players take less CPU time and servers should always run compiled VM (+set vm_game 2).

[mo0d]

great job, man!
your the hero!!!
thx so much

[dyn]

Thanks man!

New version will be out shortly, pretty much same as 1.666, only some cvars need to be changed internally to compensate for faulty cvar processing in recent ioquake3 builds. Read-only cvars are impossible to change at startup, which causes errors with many mods and even original Q3. Not our fault, i pointed this out @ ioquake3 mailing list, but we have no time waiting for possible fixes, we will change parts of mod which rely on correct functionality to be compatible with old and new engines.

Also i think older teleport effect was better in a way, without extra gibs, hehe.

[mspoddy]

I dl'd the file and while playing the game I got the dreaded BSOD.
Said IRQL not less or equal . So I just went and did a restore to the
point of the day before I installed it.
Just wondered why v1.666 would do that. Or of course, could be another
driver etc etc etc. Have to do some detective work.
Frannie aka mspoddy

[dyn]

Hm check drivers and test your system. BSOD shouldn't happen, just in case try with normal 1.32b/c quake 3, not ioquake3.

VOGON mod is compiled as QVM, which makes it very secure, because virtual machine (VM) can't access system things, nor cause any system errors. At worst it can only cause Q3 errors, nothing outside it. Virtual machines are safe to use, and Quake 3 VM code is tested thoroughly. After all Q3 itself relies on it to run (inside it's own PK3 files there are qvm's) and we run same mod on server for months now without problems.

If you can reproduce BSOD then send me config files, quake3 executable and mod itself. If you can pack entire Q3 directory, without demos, screenshots and pk3 files (pack and exclude .dm_68, .pk3, .tga, .jpg). I can then test it myself and check file integrity.

Also try searching for this, it seems as common error and driver-related. Mod cannot touch any driver, so mod is most probably not causing it.
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22IRQL+not+less+or+equal%22&num=100

[AG]

btw dyn, i finally got to play with the mod yesterday and ran into some errors. i'm not sure if it's mac or ioq3 related, but should i send to you in a separate thread?

[mspoddy]

Hi Dyn,

I have checked on Google for the IRQL fixes.
I am still trouble shooting this.
I cant repro the BSOD screen, really don't want too lol

However, thank you for answering me.
Know you are right about the mod not causing now
that I have read some on this,
If I figure it out I sure will let you know.

So far playing game without the v1.666 but just may put it in again
to see what happens.
Hope all is well with you.
Thanks again.
The pod

[dyn]

btw dyn, i finally got to play with the mod yesterday and ran into some errors. i'm not sure if it's mac or ioq3 related, but should i send to you in a separate thread?

Well, you can post here, why not. Perhaps compiled version would be better for Mac, or maybe it's something else.

[dyn]

Hi Dyn,

I have checked on Google for the IRQL fixes.
I am still trouble shooting this.
I cant repro the BSOD screen, really don't want too lol

However, thank you for answering me.
Know you are right about the mod not causing now
that I have read some on this,
If I figure it out I sure will let you know.

So far playing game without the v1.666 but just may put it in again
to see what happens.
Hope all is well with you.
Thanks again.
The pod

If you are playing Q3 on servers mod is never loaded, even when installed. Only when you start it by shortcuts (or +set fs_game ...) then it's loaded.

There is one thing which is Q3 specific, applies to all systems: quake 3 has issues with mods in pure mode when not running as dedicated server, so make sure sv_pure is 0. Solution to this is to run server and client on same machine or to pack entire mod into .pk3. Maybe this is the problem. I decided not to put mod into pk3 because servers, when in pure mode, check all pk3's on server and client and may reject clients who don't have it.

[dyn]

Hey, try with PK3 edition of the mod, maybe it will be better:
http://vogon.vg/q3/vogonq3-1666-pk3.zip

Unpack to q3 directory, overwrite all files. You can also delete /vogon dir which is normal edition using. PK3 runs directly from /baseq3 as pk3 file. If for nothing else, this way q3 doesn't have issues with pure 1 running locally, which is a known problem, but not that crucial, because most servers run as dedicated.

[Brandon181]

how do you use the mod, very kind sir?

[Brandon181]

how do you use the mod, cause when i try to run it, it cant find the files

[Suparhappy]

Read the text that comes with it. Extract the archive into your Quake III Arena folder, run one of the new cmd files, or you could just make a shortcut to have the command line read like this:

quake3.exe +set fs_game vogon

[dyn]

Yes, thanks Suparhappy. Just unpack to Q3 directory and, if using windows, run any cmd file or use shortcut.

PK3 version i uploaded 2 days ago doesn't need that, you only start Q3 and load any map you want. It may be better for local games, for servers i recommend normal version, running from /vogon dir, without pk3 files.

AG and Ms.Poddy, try to test this (pk3 edition) as soon as possible, because i will release new version soon.

[AG]

AG and Ms.Poddy, try to test this (pk3 edition) as soon as possible, because i will release new version soon.

okay -- will try to do today if i get some free time.

[AG]

i'm stupid -- i didn't specify the command line options properly. looks like it works.

only thing i'm confused about is that tm commands return "error". are they not implemented or am i doing something wrong?

[dyn]

Yes, that makes much more sense, because QVM should run everywhere Q3 VM runs -- and Q3 VM runs on all 3 systems, Mac, Linux and Windows, without problems. I know shortcuts are windows specific, so for Mac and Linux you need different.

TM commands are available, but you need to define vg_codes (ie. set vg_codes "code1|code2|code3"), and then use +setu "yourcode" in your shortcut, or setu vgcode "yourcode" in config. Servers returns 'Error.' when it can't authenticate you. Besides vgcodes you can run rcon commands directly when running locally, otherwise use /rcon and don't forget to define rcon_password.

So, normal edition, which creates /vogon dir, is running OK? It should be, because pk3 edition (for testing) does the same thing, it only loads all the time with Q3, if you want it or not.

[DEAN SINSTROM]

The Vogon PK3 is freakin' awesome, Dyn. Now I can fire up Q3A at work on my netbook whenever I feel the need for a quick skirmish.
Best...
PK3...
EVA!

[dyn]

Thanks! Well, i could release it in both editions, normal with /vogon dir and as pk3.