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Archived old news - July 1999:
News: Saturday 31/7/99
Yet more original Q2 trick move demos:
Added 3 more trick jump demos to the QII Speedruns page today. I did all 3 recently, and I have *never* seen these
done before, so take a look. BTW, thanks to Interceptor who mentioned these demos at his MegabitE
site, appreciated.
Cheese!!
Would you believe it, a calm and pleasant new IRC Chat Log at TEAMShambler, w0w. It's about cheese, BTW...
SCRAD has some advice:
anyway if you stopped arguing on the irc
you would feel better i'm sure.
He may just have a point there...
Laterz,
The calm and meditative Shambler
News: Friday 30/7/99
That rant again:
A pretty good reaction to my rant: As I guessed, the good mappers and reviewers understand completely, but as
Mr Clean pointed out, the people who most need to read it probably won't. I guess this is true, because the most
positive feedback has come from the best mappers...hmmmm!! Thanks to ProdigyXL who mentioned the rant on
PeejnFribnXLs. A few things I must point out:
1. The rant does NOT just apply to Unreal - the unacceptability of low quality maps is applicable to all custom maps, it's just my recent
exposure to bad Unreal maps that triggered the rant off.
2. For those who want more ideas about GOOD quality custom SP maps, then you should read my very comprehensive
Theories over at
TEAMShambler Quake Level Reviews. These cover almost all aspects of level quality for Quake1 single
player, and apply equally well to all custom SP maps.
3. I MAY write a more formal follow up rant, dealing with possible counter-arguments to my rant, and going into more depth about the unacceptability of low quality maps.
Return to Na Pali??
Ooooh yes missus =). I've been playing it, I think I'm just over halfway through. Really enjoyable, very nice levels (if rather derivative of Unreal itself), lots of good architecture,
exploration and fun gameplay. As I said in an email to QAPete@Nali City "I'm really enjoying playing
some top quality levels for a change" - indeed this pack confirms that my rant is entirely justified. And not only am I enjoying playing it, I've already spotted at
least two levels suitable for speedrunning - once I've finished the pack I will do these and add them to my collection of Unreal speedrun demos for your
entertainment.
IRC argument about the spektrum site:
For some reason it was "bash Shambler's site" evening in #terrafusion the other day, with me giving as good back in return. I've posted the chat log on the
IRC Chat Logs page for your amusment/interest/disgust.
Time to clam down I think.
Yes, clam down. Things just seem to be getting a little crazy and a little negative with me, despite all the cool stuff going on. Time to chill out a bit, enjoy Na Pali and remember I'm
doing this for fun...
Laterz,
The trying hard to relax Shambler
News: Thursday 29/7/99
Shambler is fed up with bad levels:
I've written a passionate rant about my contempt for the bad Unreal levels I've had to play as part of my reviewing for
Nali City, and posted it on the at this site. I'd strongly suggest you read it, as
most map enthusisasts should sympathise, and most people should find it interesting (my thoughts apply to all low quality levels, not just Unreal).
More cool Quake II trick demos:
Got 4 more trick jump demos for your entertainment today, all posted on the QII Speedruns page. Again these are all
very fresh demos using good tricks to get to unexpected places...already I've had people expecting these demos to be the same old stuff we are so sick of on Q2fuckingDM1 - sorry, that's
not the case, these tricks are all original, whether it's the trick itself, the combination, or just the novel places jumped to.
More IRC ramblings:
One serious, one silly, both brief and both on the IRC Chat Logs page. Oh yeah, and one has El G1mpo actually being funny...
Hypocritical bastards.
On the subject of Q II trick moves... A long long time ago, I made up a pack of 13 trick demos, all with refilmed versions. This got quite a bit of acclaim at the time, both for the tricks and
the refilming. A while later, I visisted the Cineplex site (no link, yeah I'm petty), and noticed they'd posted some trick demos, limited to Q2overplayedDM1. So I sent off the pack,
thinking they'd be happy to have a bit of variety and got a reply saying the guy wasn't interested in more trick demos. Fine, I thought....until recently when I saw he's been posting more
exceptionally uninteresting trick demos on Q2censoredDM1 (with appropriately boring refilming, even). So I'm just wondering, is that TOTAL FUCKING HYPOCRISY OR WHAT??? Fucking
bastard, I wouldn't mind if he at least told the truth or stuck to his policy, but no he has to fucking lie doesn't he??? Tosser.
And...
* TEAMShambler dips his penis into a glass of fizzy mineral water, just to see what it feels like...
Actually, I decided not to, would be a waste of good mineral water.
Laterz,
The worthwhile Shambler
News: Wednesday 28/7/99
http://www.planetdaikatana.com/spektrum
The secret is out...
Even the g1mp seems to like it.
This made me laugh lots - got this ICQ message from Gollywog who set me up at PlanetDaikatana...
" any useful insights into a guy named Paul Healy, who run's MPQ and Inspection, on planetquake? He just emailed me with the idea of doing a Daikatana MP review site,
and claims you two are friends."
ROFLMAO - you a bit FUCKING JEALOUS THEN PAUL??? Bwahahaha!!! Actually, being serious for as short a time as I can stand, I sang the g1mp's praises to Gollywog,
because for all his g1mpness, he does a damn good job of running MPQ, and is very useful in the mapping
community. I didn't know he was keen on DKT, but if he is that's great, the more support the better =). And obviously the
spektrum site is future-looking, but hopefully the game will be cool, levels will be made, and the site will
be useful. From now on, any Daikatana related ramblings will be posted there of course.
That's all for today:
With the effort of getting the new site up, and reviewing yet more substandard Unreal levels, I'm gonna take a break...for this evening at least. I'll have more stuff tomorrow for
sure.
Laterz,
The smugly satisfied Shambler
News: Tuesday 27/7/99
More Quake II trick demos and these ones r0ck:
I've added 4 more Quake II trick jump demos to the QII Speedruns page, and a few are really cool. All are small in
size (about 30K), are refilmed, and are completely original jumps, so get downloading =).
I'm busy:
Sorry, that's your lot for today, I've got Unreal reviews today and other stuff too. Which may or may not involve this secret site...hmmm, the SCRAD was pointing out
that it may be just a little too secret, given there are no links to it anywhere, no name mentioned at all, and no clues whatsoever - Bah!! Wimps!! It's secret, dammit :P
Laterz,
The elusive Shambler
News: Monday 26/7/99
Quake II trick move demos:
I'm going to start posting some of the fresh and funky QII trick move demos I've been hoarding up. These include a variety of original trick moves, mostly done just for fun, all of which will
be on Id maps, so you can download and play them straight away. To start off, I've uploaded a single zip with 9 older refilmed demos (130 K) - these are
just easier tricks (hard ones will come later), but some are unusual and the refilming is good. All of these demos will be posted on the QII Speedruns page.
Updated favourite Q1 DM maps list:
Exactly what it says: I've changed the current list a bit, and more importantly, added another list of my favourite maps
from a month back. This is because there were many cool maps around then that I want to spooge about. So go check it out on the at this site (older
list is lower down the page).
Laterz,
The rather promising Shambler
News: Sunday 25/7/99
Competition:
PaulTheG1mp@G1MPQ is holding a "draw the Shambler" competition, aaah, how sweet. I was going to hold
a "draw the G1mp" competition in return, but it would be too easy: the first person to send in a scan of a cow's arse would win...
Unreal SP reviews:
Gonna start posting details here instead of TEAMShambler Quake Level Reviews. This week I've
reviewed ColonyLV-7117, Holy Grail, Jump Arena, New World, Savior, Stranded and Trapship over at
Nali City. Nothing really great or worth playing in that batch, I'm afraid.
Mortyr demo review (sort of):
This just in from the SCRAD, who played the demo (I haven't):
"it is well below par"
Cutting edge investigative journalism there =)
Next week...
...will bring lots more funky stuff: More serious and silly IRC chat logs, more favourite Q1 DM maps lists, some cool Q2 trick demos, and anything else I think of. Stay tuned to Shambler FM.
Sorry for the lack of silly quotes:
*** than is now known as Shambler
*** Shambler is now known as [UNR]Spog
<[UNR]Spog> I roger myself up the ass with a cucumber on a daily basis
*** [UNR]Spog is now known as than
Framed!!!
Laterz,
The chillin' Shambler
News: Saturday 24/7/99
Hi.
Sorry for the lack of an update yesterday, I was busy with Unreal reviews which I finally got done (as well as coming up with my 4th good idea for a high quality Unreal SP map, sheesh,
gotta start mapping sometime :P).
Shambler's favourite Q1 DM maps:
The title says it all, I've written a list of the current Q1 DM maps that are really "tickling my tummy" as it were (??). You can find it on the
at this site, and it's my personal selection rather than a review style list - all maps highly recommended of course. Umm, actually, this list is no more than a
barely veiled attempt to show off that I'm beta-testing some maps for people - a lesser Shambler wouldn't admit that, but hell yeah I'm showing off, haha =).
More IRC rubbish:
And you can find it on the IRC Chat Logs page as usual. Apparently people quite like this stuff...
Laterz,
The finally finished all this bollocks Shambler
News: Thursday 22/7/99
My 1££7 24£r0 $p££drun$ 0wn j00r puny m0r74l 4$$!!!
Yes it's true =). I've got another Zaero speedrun, completing Ztomb3 in 0:58, and this one is a real beauty, with a
completely new trick. If you have Zaero, make sure you download these runs out as entertainment is guaranteed.
Secrets:
There is a hidden site in here somewhere...can you find it?? It's a new site btw, the latest in the TEAMShambler family. No using FTP software and h4x0ring into the site, that's cheating =).
Oh yeah and it's 1024x768, IE4/5 only, the Netscape version sucks (because NS sucks, curiously enough).
More bollocks:
On the IRC Chat Logs page of course, where else would bollocks be stored??
Finally doing some Unreal reviews.
What a fucking relief I tell you. Reviewing at TEAMShambler standards can be damn hard to motivate yourself to do...
Laterz,
The marginally more satisfied Shambler
News: Wednesday 21/7/99
The other Q3A single player chat logs:
By now you've probably wombled your way through the previous 3 logs I posted about the possibility of making a single player mod for Quake 3 Arena, so here's the other 3 to provide
further food for thought - on the IRC Chat Logs page of course. Again these are quite indepth and cover the basic idea well. Just to reiterate as some people
are getting the wrong message: These discussions are just HYPOTHETICAL IDEAS (and hopes=)), I've NOT got any teams together, I have no idea how to organise a team that would
be dedicated enough and talented enough to pull this off, and as far as I can see it's unlikely to happen.
Site that had me very amused:
UND Jump Centre - brilliant, gotta try this stuff IRL. Anyone for double jumping off pedestrians, haha =).
Daikatana (and Q3A) :
Chatting with that bouncy Bal recently - he's just got the Daikatana demo, and seems very impressed
with the physics and also some textures. Nice to have another sensible person who's seen some of the genuine qualities in the demo, and of course potentially in the game too. This kinda
got me thinking, and comparing the reactions to the Daikatana and Q3A demos. Consider this:
There were more genuine criticisms of real issues in the Q3A demo than there were in the Daikatana demo.
Sounds crazy, yes??? Well, from all the responses I've seen, it's true. There was a very negative response to the Daikatana demo, but shockingly little of that response was to do with
actual qualities or problems with the demo. There were some definite issues: C4 mines are very annoying, players are hard to see, map 1 was dull and
plain, but most of the whining was just that: whining, without any reasons to back it up. While with the Q3A demo, far more of the criticisms I've seen have been real: rockets are too slow,
effects obscure vision, map layouts are too simple, footsteps are a problem, computer requirements are too high, technical problems getting it working, jumping is screwed up, weapons
look dull, gameplay doesn't satisfy hardcore players, fancy effects are too arcadey - in fact a lot of the criticisms apply to areas where the Daikatana demo suceeds. I know this
isn't going to change anything, as idiocy and crowd-following are too firmly entrenched in many gamers' minds, but it's pretty fucking ironic if you ask me (and this is just for DM, of course
Daikatana will be a proper SP + DM game...)
Who needs ops eh???
*** Now talking in #TeRRaFuSioN
<Bal> hehe
* Shambler slaps TEAMShambler around a bit with a large trout
<Shambler> fuck off
* Bal slaps TEAMShambler around a bit with a large trout
* Shambler slaps TEAMShambler around a bit with a large trout
*** TEAMShambler has quit IRC (Ping timeout)
<Shambler> yah!
<Shambler> lets see if it works again...
* Shambler slaps Bal around a bit with a large trout
<Shambler> fuck off
* Shambler slaps Bal around a bit with a large trout
*** Bal (heho@telehouse-229-30.club-internet.fr) has left #terrafusion
<Shambler> lol
Laterz,
The slightly pissed off and struggling to do Unreal reviews Shambler
News: Tuesday 20/7/99
Recommended Quake 2 single player maps:
I've updated the list, because somehow I'd manage to miss off many great recent maps: Angron3, Belly of the Beast, Love Story, Operation Scorched
Earth 2, Back at the Front....sigh, what the fuck was I on??? Anyway it's done now and found on the at this site. This is a good opportunity to answer
a question I was asked recently: "Why is there only one Neil Manke map recommended??" The answer is simple: It's a
list of recommended Quake 2 maps, not total or partial conversions like Neil's maps. Neil definitely makes creative maps, but monkeys, polar bears, Gunners in Hawaiin shirts or
Nazi uniforms and all that malarkey have nothing to do with Quake 2....thus only Slaughtership gets on the list, and though it's quite a good map, there are many far better maps in terms of
overall quality.
More nonsense:
Well all this is a bit serious, so I've posted a couple more irrelevant and irreverent IRC Chat Logs.
Unreal: a triumph of graphics over gameplay???
Yes. A triumph. Hahahahaha!!!
Sheesh, that reminds me, more Unreal reviews to do for Nali City - sigh, no rest for the damned.
Finally:
*** You were kicked from #terrafusion by Paul (shit)
Laterz,
The busy yet again Shambler
News: Monday 19/7/99
Zaero review!!
Finally done it, a large and comprehensive 2 page review of the Quake II mission pack
"Zaero". Check it out on the at this site and discover
why this pack comes highly recommended.
More Zaero speedruns!!
Another two smokin' speedrun demos posted on the QII Speedruns page, both with great shortcuts and tricks. Once you've got Zaero, be sure to check the
demos for added entertainment.
That's all for now folks:
Yeah this reviewing and speedrunning malarkey is quite hard work (though rewarding), so I'm just chilling a bit ATM. I'll leave you with this IRC quote from the
Vigilante that tickled my sense of humour:
* Vigilante hates to do this again, but some people never learn... Snatching Quad, grabbing the shaft, Vig presses the trigger while aiming at the crowd of numbers. The result is lots of
heads flying through the air, some as far as 20 meters. Also, Vig gets lots of frags, of course.
It's all in the timing...
Laterz,
The 1337 Zaero speedrunning Shambler
News: Sunday 18/7/99
Quake3: Arena
Since the second test to "that" game has now been released, I thought it might be time to start posting an indepth series of IRC chat logs about the possiblity of making Q3A into
a proper single player game. The first three logs have been posted on the IRC Chat Logs page, and they should make for interesting reading while you are
downloading the test (or not
downloading the test if DM only games bore you, as the case may be). The general idea is that it is quite feasible to make a single player conversion of Q3A, using Id's monsters and
maybe their maps too, but of course a total dedication to single player and the quality of the final result would be fundamental to such a project...
Being a good Shambler...
I'm actually getting down to the Zaero review at the moment, and should have it ready by
sometime tomorrow, along with some more very classy speedruns. A few people have been asking me if it is any good, well the review will reveal all =).
And in case this update has been too serious:
<TEAMNaliCity> welsh???
<TEAMNaliCity> aaarrghhh
* TEAMNaliCity runs to hide all his sheep...
<TEAMNaliCity> ooops
<TEAMNaliCity> i have no sheep
<TEAMNaliCity> oh well
* TEAMNaliCity needs to get some sheep then
Sometimes my wit astounds even myself...
Laterz,
That Shambler
News: Saturday 17/7/99
#terrafusion...
Was on top form this morning - g1mpmeister Paul@MPQ
obviously had too much coffee as he tried to be
funny....and almost succeeded at times....almost. So, there's a whole lot of IRC gibberish on the IRC Chat Logs page for you.
If you don't like purple...
You know what you can do, don't you?? Yes, "fuck off". Or preferably, stay, but stop bloody whinging about it. WTF do you think I did, make a purple site just to piss people off?? Nice
idea, but wrong - I made a purple site because I like purple. And if you don't like purple, or don't like the site design, I don't want to hear about it - that includes
Gandhi - personally I think your tiny black and white site looks like something I shat out my arse this morning,
but I don't go whinging about it. Just because you're actually a good Quake player and mapper and have a cool clan doesn't make this site "look like shit". Besides, it's the content that
counts, places like sCary's are blandness personified but the content is crucial.
Some deathmatch thing is out.
QsomethingArenaTestes2orsomething. Do I look like I care??? Sodding DM only game, a waste of a good engine and great looking themes. Go read the Q3A rants on the
IRC Chat Logs page for my views.
12:25 pm
Time for breakfast...
Laterz,
The extremely hungry Shambler
News: Friday 16/7/99
Review of Zaero?? Errrr, no.
Instead of doing the review of Zaero I promised, I've been doing Zaero speedruns instead =). Got some pretty damn cool ones - I've posted the 3 speedrun demos I've done so far on the
QII Speedruns page. If you have Zaero, make sure you get these demos, as they are damn good and representative of the other QII custom map demos I've
done (not yet posted). Do
you hear that BONG?? I've actually posted some QII demos at last!! Better go get Zaero then, haha :P.
Beta-testing.
Been checking out the latest beta maps from Biff Debris and Malevola from that funky
QBoard. Both good stuff, especially Mal's. Don't worry you two, I'll send comments soon enough,
just been a bit busy with other stuff.
Unreal sucky maps rant type thing.
I've posted a more serious IRC chat log, you can guess which page it's on. This time about all the crap maps that people actually download from
Nali City - even the very worst maps get a hundred or so downloads, when many of the deserve no downloads
whatsoever. Obviously as a supporter of quality maps, this worries me immensely, and you can see my despair in the IRC chat log. Of course, the reason it happens is that
Nali City post the maps first, then get people to review them - so often people don't know what the maps are
like before downloading. Not a system I particularly like as part of a reviewer's job is to play all the leperous shite so other players don't have to suffer it - but it's NC's choice. Of course
the best solution would be for people to STOP RELEASING SUCH TOSS MAPS and release only good ones - well I hope my critical reviews at NC will encourage people to do just that...
A bit of p1mpage.
Cheers as always to that Interceptor chappy who runs the MegabitE map news site, for mentioning this
site - thanks.
Random IRC bollocks of the day:
<[OUT]Than> preachers mind is narrower than a hamsters anus
<Frib> Than: you know this from experience? :P
<[OUT]Than> oh yeah frib, I've shagged many hamsters before. they just rip apart though as a human penis is a little bit too large for them
I hope those chaps at Hamsterdance don't hear of this...
Laterz,
The honestly going to get down to something useful Shambler
News: Thursday 15/7/99
#terrafusion munchs anal beard:
Yes it's true. All this new auto-op and chanserv crap has spoilt what used to be a nice and casual channel. Well the people are still cool (Apart from Paul. And Bal. And Xori. And
everyone else...), but I miss the free and easy good old days. Anyway, you can read an IRC chat log response of my immediate reaction to the new setup over on the
IRC Chat Logs page.
Also, the reaction last night to the silly chat logs section has been posted too...
Miscellaneous mission packs:
Bought two mission packs recently: the Unreal mission pack "Return to Na Pali" which has got the spooge cannons spurting frantically all over the net, and the underhyped
Quake II mission pack "Zaero". I've just finished playing the latter, and since I only saw one review when it was released a while back, I'll do a review for it soon, and post it
right here before your very eyes.
Lots of p1mpage:
Well, I try at least...mentioned this site around a lot of message boards, almost certainly to no effect. Blah. Still, if you know people who like FPS games and related topics, please tell
them about the site, thanks.
I need help:
For some reason Internet Explorer has decided it would be "really entertaining" to get rid of the normal dialogue window for downloading zips, and automatically save everything to some
obscure and inaccessible temp folder. I can't find a way to get the dialogue window back, so if anyone can help, please email me. BTW,
IE is still a lot better than that so called browser Netscape, so no smug comments :P.
Thought for the day:
[Shambler PING reply]: 4367hrs 37secs
Yes that's real, thanks to the combination of gay IRC client + gay modem + gay ISP + gay phone line...
Laterz,
The almost amusing Shambler
News: Wednesday 14/7/99
No more bollocks:
Right that's it. I'm fed up with this site sitting here doing fuck all apart from the demos that a few people will bother to download from other links without even visiting the site.
Thus, there will be a lot more action here in the future, especially news, general ranting, IRC chat logs and random rubbish. Expect daily updates from now on, about anything FPS game
related that filters through my brain and dribbles onto the keyboard. I've also renamed it (remember, "TEAMShambler FPS Demos & Discussion", not "LostSpirit"), tidied it up, added
sections, removed the slow loading background, etc etc.
All the usual malarkey:
Can be found via the menu to the right. Simply click on the appropriate title for the section of your choice. There's a whole variety of stuff, concerning Quake, Quake II, Unreal, Half Life,
Daikatana, Requiem and Q3A, so everybody should be able to find something that amuses or interests them.
Even more malarkey:
I'm going to be adding a lot more stuff in the future, so keep checking back for regular updates, and tell all your FPS chums about the site, please. For a taster, here is one of my favourite
IRC snippets...well, it amuses me =).
<Paul|mpq> twat
<TEAMNaliCity> twat
<Paul|mpq> turdmonster
<TEAMNaliCity> wankgobbler
Intelligent debate ahoy...
I'm also going to bugger around with the site design and stuff, so don't be surprised if it changes.
Laterz,
The determined to make something useful from this shite/site Shambler
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