dark places help needed

[quakeman]

I've been a Quake fan since it first came out when I was a teenager and I didn't even know this community existed -- cool! Well, I'm trying to load
darkplaces and it won't work. It'll load, but on my Vista laptop it crashes in the beginning demo, and on my sony viao desktop it plays, kinda, but it's basically a white screen with here and there a glimpse of gun or something.
It's unplayable.

I'm not real techno-savvy but I'm willing to give any suggestions a shot.

Thanks!

[inkub0]

0) Install your latest Graphic card Drivers.
1) have a clean installation of Quake
2) put Darkplaces files in Quake folder
3) run DP and have fun!

[sb306]

I've been a Quake fan since it first came out when I was a teenager and I didn't even know this community existed -- cool!

I was in the same situation. Seeing these new engines and the graphics while still being faithful to the original is amazing. I actually setup a whole newer computer so I could run Darkplaces with all the bells and whistles.

As far as Vista, I have a laptop with Windows Vista and Darkplaces runs great. Just make sure all your divers are up to date and try it again.

[inkub0]

Try to set a 64bit Windows7 system.

Darkplaces has now a 64bit executable. I think that will work better on a full 64bit system

then, try to get this stuff

My PK3s

[quakeman]

finally got darkplaces running (kind of)

Okay, it's been a while and I apologize for not posting sooner. I was
just too embarassed to post until I had figured it out. It sounds so simple!

I never could update my video drivers, but I finally was able to play darkplaces -- I found a copy of the old darkplaces, or what I think is the old one (August 200 in a download of Extreme Haven. Anyway, it's a smaller file than the new one. Then I transferred some textures etc. from my new darkplaces file (which doesn't work) to the one that does work and viola I have darkplaces! Woo-hoo! It's pretty awesome, although it's still very glitchy and I'm still tinkering with it, trying to get it less glitchy, removing files that might be causing the glitch, then putting them back when that doesn't help.

I may just have to wait till I upgrade to Windows 7. Meanwhile I'm having a lot of fun with Qrack and Quoth, and I've downloaded a thousand maps and mods and am basically in Quake heaven. I just finished Nehara yesterday -- wow. Better than Scourge of Armagon! Now I'm on Egypt. Really awesome!

Again, I'm sorry for not replying earlier. Thank you guys for all the help.

[Mindf!3ldzX]

darkplaces alone by itself is a sexy looking engine, its only when you even CONSIDER attempting to add extra maps,add textures (like Rygel Ultra), or even attempt doing the most mundane SHIT does it become apparent that, Darkplaces is a great idea that has extremely poor execution as a Q1 client. It's like "here is the client,now figure it out". Reserved for only the truely dedicated,and in my opinion, Qrack is where its at. VERY NEWB FRIENDLY , and just look at that SEK-C screenshots



now if only my Qrack looked that good,for CTF.! !!

[Seven]

Mindf!3ldzX,

I cannot agree with you on this one.
Why you post screenshots from Qrack with the additional pak1.pak file in use ?
That is EXACTLY comparable to Rygels pack. R00k will surely agree.

pak1 gives extra textures and gimmicks so that it looks "better".
Thats exactly what Rygels pack does.

If you forget for a second, that Rygels ultra pack is broken,
the usage of Rygels pack and R00k�s pak1 is done in the same extremely easy way:
Just drop it in the correct spot. DONE !

I know, you tried many many uncountable hours to use Rygels ultra pack for DP,
and in the end gave up. Why ? Cause its a broken pk3 file.

If you would have used the high pack instead you would have only need 5 seconds to succeed:
Just drop it into ID1 folder.

Exactly as easy as drop R00k�s pak1 in his folder.

So, please dont write bad about DarkPlaces .
It does not deserve it.
Just because someone like Rygels made a mistake !

You know that inkub0 tries to make it better with his single pk3�s.
Best would be to create ONE pk3 out of his, so that you can compare it to R00k�s pak1.

Is there an easier way ?
I dont think so....



You further write:

Darkplaces is a great idea that has extremely poor execution as a Q1 client.

It�s hard for me to believe you write this seriously.


If you read R00k�s posts, when he speaks about DarkPlaces,
you will surely notice his respect to LordHavoc (just like I have and we all should have).
R00k says: DP has tons of features already implemented, which other engines try to imitate.

Like MH wrote: It all depends on what you want to do with Quake.
Play Multiplayer or Single Player or want its look faithful or...
Depending on this you should pick your engine of choice.

These are wise words, which I would undersign at once.

So choosing DP for multiplayer would be an overkill ! (agreed)
For SP users who tend to visual and functional enhancements,
its the best you can go at the moment.


Kind Regards,
Seven

[osjclatchford]

just my two-pennith, but DP is clearly the superior engine of choice. (imo)
there's just so much that it is capable of AND with lord havocs continuing work and guys on the forum here (working on textures, skins, effects and shaders etc...) its constantly improving.

I'm not bad mouthing qrack at all, its just not my 'weapon of choice' as I feel it looks to 'sterile/clean' not the dank, dark foetid hell that we all remember from 1996

[Mindf!3ldzX]

Mindf!3ldzX,

I cannot agree with you on this one.
Why you post screenshots from Qrack with the additional pak1.pak file in use ?
That is EXACTLY comparable to Rygels pack. R00k will surely agree.

pak1 gives extra textures and gimmicks so that it looks "better".
Thats exactly what Rygels pack does.

If you forget for a second, that Rygels ultra pack is broken,
the usage of Rygels pack and R00k�s pak1 is done in the same extremely easy way:
Just drop it in the correct spot. DONE !

I know, you tried many many uncountable hours to use Rygels ultra pack for DP,
and in the end gave up. Why ? Cause its a broken pk3 file.

If you would have used the high pack instead you would have only need 5 seconds to succeed:
Just drop it into ID1 folder.

Exactly as easy as drop R00k�s pak1 in his folder.

So, please dont write bad about DarkPlaces .
It does not deserve it.
Just because someone like Rygels made a mistake !

You know that inkub0 tries to make it better with his single pk3�s.
Best would be to create ONE pk3 out of his, so that you can compare it to R00k�s pak1.

Is there an easier way ?
I dont think so....



You further write:

It�s hard for me to believe you write this seriously.


If you read R00k�s posts, when he speaks about DarkPlaces,
you will surely notice his respect to LordHavoc (just like I have and we all should have).
R00k says: DP has tons of features already implemented, which other engines try to imitate.

Like MH wrote: It all depends on what you want to do with Quake.
Play Multiplayer or Single Player or want its look faithful or...
Depending on this you should pick your engine of choice.

These are wise words, which I would undersign at once.

So choosing DP for multiplayer would be an overkill ! (agreed)
For SP users who tend to visual and functional enhancements,
its the best you can go at the moment.


Kind Regards,
Seven

Utilizing DarkPlaces is everything BUT easy. Thats where you have continued to misunderstand what I have been trying to say,so I'll be really clear. DarkPlaces IS a really nice looking client,with a plethora of feature's. It's not simple "coincidence" that people constantly show up seeking support for DarkPlace's,even the Quakers that have been around for a long minute have had STACKS of problems using/working/modifying the engine,such as Disco or myself. The mere fact that DarkPlaces recieve's more "WTF?" type post's regaurding how to set it up correctly is a direct reflection on how much of a pain in the ass it is.

Seven, I have spent about a week now trying to load mother FN 3wave CTF maps into DarkPlaces, which should not be trivial or hard,it should be a simple process,right? Considering I've been adding custom maps to Quake for a very long time, it should be as simple as copying files over,but it isn't.

Copy the 3wave MAPS to Id1\maps\ = failed to load map,everything is BLACK
Copy the 3wave MAPS to dpmod\maps\ = failed to load map,everything is black!

Once again, doing the most mundance task, is a PITA.

[grave_digga]

Seven, I have spent about a week now trying to load mother FN 3wave CTF maps into DarkPlaces, which should not be trivial or hard,it should be a simple process,right? Considering I've been adding custom maps to Quake for a very long time, it should be as simple as copying files over,but it isn't.

Copy the 3wave MAPS to Id1\maps\ = failed to load map,everything is BLACK
Copy the 3wave MAPS to dpmod\maps\ = failed to load map,everything is black!

Once again, doing the most mundance task, is a PITA.

Well, downloaded 3wctf301.zip and 3wctfc40.zip directly form the id ftp. Made a folder called 3wctf and put both pak files in. Fired up darkplaces, selected 3wctf in the options/browse mods menu (select 3wctf with the right arrow key so it shows "on" in front of the 3wctf, then hit enter (now it should load)) then go back to main menu and select single or multiplayer. Then i took this screenshot:



looks familiar?

[Mindf!3ldzX]

I am trying to use Rygel Ultra w/ 3wave maps.

after finally getting rygel ultra to work with darkplaces,it seemed only fitting to use THAT darkplaces folder/installation as my base folder for playing 3wave online.

[grave_digga]

Well i used Rygels "High" pack but the result should be the same except for the higher textures. To set up DP is really easy, now that i know what the problems were. Do the 3wctf maps now work for you?

[quakeman]

qrack

About Qrack -- I'm using it and Quoth because they work best on my system, and although I love Qrack because it's so smooth I have to say that it is a little TOO smooth -- everything's too neat and clean, like osjclatchford was saying. I've actually tried transferring files from my DP file to my Qrack file to get rid of this but I haven't hit on the right formula yet. Quoth is much better at this but sometimes it seems like the colors are a little washed-out. Maybe it's just me. Also, I can't seem to play the paks or mods on Qrack, only the bsps, but they work on Quoth through Fitzquake.

All this talk about how great DP is makes me want to give it another shot. I tried updating my video drivers before, but I'm apparently too much of an idiot to figure it out and googling "update video drivers" just confused me more. Any suggestions?

[Seven]

I never heard of "3wave ctf", so I just downloaded it.

As I read the included readme, it says that you should create a new folder in Quake to put the files in.
So by following it, I was able to load it up as usual:
1.) create a folder called "3wave" and
2.) make a regular shortcut to: darkplaces.exe -game 3wave

The ordinary way as you would start the official Mission Packs or Nehahra for example.

3wave ctf started up fine (see screenshot) by typing in the console: map ctf2m1 for example.


So I dont understand your "3wave ctf" problem Mindf!3ldzX.
But that is not the point here.

Lets end this discussion now


Everybody should try different engines for themselves (without any prejudice).
That is the main message I want to give.
Nobody should judge something and say his opinion is universal.

I would be the last one to say: DarkPlaces is the Best of all.
As mentioned above, it only depends on what you want to do with your Quake.
If you play multiplayer you MUST have the clean view (like Qrack),
cause your main task is to kill your opponents !
And NOT to look how wonderful this water looks or how your weapons normal texture looks

If you play SP you have of course another task... where DP might fulfill your needs.
Of course there are many other great single player engines !

Kind Regards,
Seven


@ quakeman

It depends on your graphics card. Nowadays you have only 2 options:
- nvidia
- ati

If it is nvidia, download your universal drivers from nvidia.com
If it is ati do the same but with catalyst drivers.

Both ways: double click the downloaded exe file and the rest is a automatic process.

Hope this helps a bit.

[Mindf!3ldzX]

I don't see why I am required to use the -game method when I haven't been required to do so for a long time now, I just simply drop MAPS into a MAPS folder.


That should be adequate,but it is not.
Another reason why I did not use -game 3wave , is because my DarkPlaces is currently -game dpmod, go figure,thought that was required to utilize RYGEL. Am I not right?

I am presuming it should be obvious why I chose to place the maps in the maps folder...