Populist Features

[Baker]

You also need a robust way of getting around that "exec default.cfg" that runs at startup.

Actually ...

//
// default cvars
//
viewsize 100
gamma 1.0
volume 0.7
sensitivity 3

There aren't really any meaningful cvar defaults in there. So the engine defaults are used for anything except the above 4 cvars. Default.cfg does contain a hell of a lot of default key bindings, though. Some of which I personally think suck, but different story.

[Baker]

Well Quake's default locations for stuff don't really correspond to where they should be on either Windows or Unix, but that's a legacy of the DOS days and I'd personally be reluctant to make such a radical change.

The main reason I think about this, if your Quake folder is "c:\program files\Quake" or anything that is living under %PROGRAMFILES% on Windows Vista or Windows 7, that isn't really where even your config.cfg is being saved as it is being virtually mapped away into an %APPDATA% folder anyway.

One real problem is not only do many players not know about the command line or cvars, a lot of the Steam ones don't even know where their Quake folder is. Even some of the long-time players.

Case in point, sadly I know this guy doesn't understand the Windows file system and can't figure out his Quake folder:

Hey guys--thanks for your replies.

Baker, I did what you recommended. When I try to launch ProQuake it gives this error message:

"W_LoadWadFile: couldn't load gfx.wad
Game data files are required to run; usually this means you need Quake shareware or registered version"

Eh--wha??

Help. :-/

I modified the gfx.wad message long ago in ProQuake to guide the user to the fact if the engine can't find gfx.wad, they probably have put the engine in the wrong folder.

I also made ProQuake search "in its own folder" [where the .exe is being executed from] if it doesn't find game data in the "{current working directory}\id1 folder" which can occur if a user makes a desktop shortcut.

[Baker]

Take a look over at Quakeone.com some day. They attract the random google searches so you get John Doe over there. Then see how Tenebrae/Darkplaces/QRP is teh shizzle for them.

In a rare moment of being more candid than usual [aka this is a beer post], let's just say that the QuakeOne.com search engine dominance was never in doubt from day zero.

But an important part of establishing a traffic-dominant web site is POP. POP = power of personality. Power of personality is someone who appears to run the show who is erratic, quirky with human flaws that expose themselves from time to time who is willing to delve down into the muck to engage dissenting personalities to put on a great show.

People like to be entertained. And some guy who is unafraid to embarrass himself or be a jackass from time to time is part of this charm.

People like to feel warm and fuzzy and connected. So when I don't heavily interact in the forums for a while, like now when I am engine coding a ton and not talking a ton, the traffic starts to slide.

Someday, the time will be right to tell a ton of other funny secrets .. but this won't be today. But what really matters is that QuakeOne.com pumps excess traffic to here and Func. Developers and thinkers matter a ton. MH, Spike, FrikaC, Metslime, Frag Machine, Qbism, leileilol and the QuakeC and mapping horde are the crown jewels of this community. Yeah I didn't mention R00k or Spirit or the million things LH has done, but those have been hyperactively pumped for a very, very long time [Quake Reforged, Quake Injector, etc. etc. etc.].

[r00k]

People like to be entertained. Very Happy And some guy who is unafraid to embarrass himself or be a jackass from time to time is part of this charm.

Pick me! Pick me!

[Baker]

Perfect is boring

A few years ago, I used to cringe when you did drunk posts @ QuakeOne.com and I was like "aw crap".

Over time, I have grown to most appreciate quirky behavior like Spirit's overly conservative views or MH's passionate dislikes of r_shadows or stuff like that. Or Goldenboy's attraction to Tomb Raider and Q2 features.

I've come to the conclusion that being quirky and imperfect is more fun.

Diversity is the beef stew or the Charles Dickens "more gruel please!" that ideas arise from. Viva diversity.