(Reposted questions from QuakeOne as suggested by Baker - and I did some slight edits to the text since this is obv not being read on QuakeOne any longer). I am promoting Quake on my YouTube so more players should come, I had some questions about making some new content with nicer looking visuals (hence using this Quake client) and more flexible engine (below)

Hello-

I am very glad and happy Quake is still going and it has gotten even a new engine here - how awesome!

I did have 2 or maybe 3 questions, to get started to uhh get the gears working, as to say, to know what I'm doing with it. So here goes:

1) How is the Multi-Player? Is it good? Or is this more of a Single-Player graphical engine slated more for offline use/ play? I know our Internets evolved quite so much lately so the graphics is no longer a problem to transmit over data lines to cause lags during online play, that heavier graphics would not affect it right?

2) I am indeed looking for a very nice and pretty engine to ehh, this part may sound a bit ambitious maybe, but here it goes.. I do plan to and I want to play all Quake mods made from Quaddicted or MODD and put to my YouTube channel (it's an ambition to play everything Quake haha), so I'd like it to look as best as possible, nice, bright, easy to see, colorful and engaging video-images. I do plan to play Quake forever, right? Haha, so anyway would this engine be good for that, allow me to all play those mods and TCs? (I think all Quakers should play the mods and TCs, I mean let's take advantage of that, experience the greatness of more Quake lands to explore, and that's why they're there for right? - to be played! haha)

Lastly, can you offer some guidance to possibly pair this engine with the best (size on disk not mattering) looking Quake Textures Pack. I did look on MODB but it's all so much (confusing, what to use). I don't really know which to pick or where to start lol. Maybe the other Quakers here would also appreciate this too. Or is this engine really enough to make things look better by itself without needing the graphical paks? (By looking at the screenshots here). I really don't know since I uhh.. not used Quake much lately, especially working with the more technical aspects of it.

So to be more clear, I'm looking for some graphical texture paks to plug to use in here - this Mark V Quake engine. How do you do it, where do the files go, and where can they be gotten from? Can you provide links or something to those and a little guide - that would be much appreciated. The last I remember MoonDrunk's textures were great, or QRP, are those still valid or what?

G'day 

>where do the files go

Put all files in quake folder. I jammed a "download" button on the top of the moddb page recently to make finding the current download easy https://www.moddb.com/mods/zircon-engine

>How is the Multi-Player? Is it good?

not yet. coop is ok. for deathmatch, DarkPlaces does not do minimum lighting on anything.

The next version of Zircon, will have minimum lighting. It will be defaulted on, with cvar to turn it off.

>looking for some graphical texture paks

Quake Epsilon is my pick. https://www.moddb.com/mods/quake-epsilon-build Quake epsilon is brainless to use, it even includes shareware Quake so just unzip and click the darkplaces.bat. You could throw zircon.exe in that folder and click it instead of the darkplaces.bat 

This would be the episilon file I have used ...

https://www.moddb.com/mods/quake-epsilon-build/downloads/quake-epsilon-build-v256

I am pointing this out as the Epsilon page has a several different sets and it does not show this one on the first page of files. 

Right, they do. But those are good for downloading as well: Arcane, and more Dimensions :D

But you're saying.. I believe that for Quake, it would be that page you directed me to. I understood now, but to be honest, I have to read like 3 or 4 times from there what I'm downloading and what it does so to be sure I'm getting the right thing lol.. so that's why I asking

Well I almost forgot to thank you for this. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.. it is exactly what I was looking for. It is awesome looking and my eyes glazed and almost tears of joy came out. The things look great (screenshots) and video. My YouTube followers will love this :D I have been playing/ posting some Quake on there but not yet something as spectacular as this! woo-hoo

I do have one last question though. So it looks like the Epsilon will just run from the download you pointed me to - as it's a complete Quake game package. So about your Mark V engine or Epsilon, what would happen if I connect to Shmack with it? For example. Would it look/ play nice? Will it work? Or maybe I'm better off recording a demo on the Qrack client I'm currently using then play it again in one of these fancy engines to record all the high-quality gfx and sounds? I guess what I'm trying to ask is if Epsilon/ Mark V is usable for online play without lags and if it has good responsiveness and visibility

Thank you :) 

The engine best referred to as "Zircon".

A previous engine I did was called FitzQuake Mark V, which was to fix up FitzQuake with extra stuff (a lot of the improvements ended up in Quakespasm and other engines).

Zircon is a "DarkPlaces Mark V Project" ... an effort to make DarkPlaces nicer and give it some great improvements.

> what would happen if I connect to Shmack with it?

Without out epsilon, Zircon should work fine if DarkPlaces works fine for you. I tested this engine on quake.shmack.net

With epsilon, I couldn't say ... Epsilon looks great but depending on settings the fps can take a hit.

Until the next update Zircon will have the same lack of minimum lighting that DarkPlaces has --- this means a player in a very dark spot is pitch black to you -- but another client like QSS-M ( https://qssm.quakeone.com/) or Qrack or ancient GLQuake will see that player pretty easily. 

Ok, I am understanding everything now

I wasn't sure what you meant at first about the lighting stuff but now I get it, I was about to ask. I thought you meant something else about torches because those give light but nevermind, that sounds dumb now lmao

Ok, so I will try out those other engines for fun. Looks like getting all the answers without trying myself is only one way to go about it. (I was trying to save some time tho lol)

You did say that in your next release you will address the lighting issue. So I will leave you to your work and thanks again for the game links, info and I will try Zircon very soon. When will you fix the lightning in it, soon? Like when? So that I will go download it then maybe. Like when will you be done with it? So I don't go keep downloading stuff over n over lol..

Oh and one more thing, when I said Quake visibility, I meant not just seeing other players (I wasn't specifically seeking that), but a nice looking crisp, graphically rich environment and easy to see things - not muddy graphics (just to be more clear here) 

I'm try to do a better 2D scaling solution and looking at some stuff jakub1 suggested .. when I feel I have a good release. It won't be long, but I can't guess exactly when. 

Alright, alright..
I'll check back in some time
Thanks again for those suggestions
I'm still ecstatic about those big gigabytes Quake game packages lol :D
Have a good day *wave 

The Zircon engine is a touchup of DarkPlaces with 40 small modifications, bug-fixes and slightly polished enhancements similar to the once upon a time "FitzQuake Mark V".

Thanks for all the time invested here Baker, I have always had a soft spot for DP/RT lighting combined with pixel artwork. It certainly would be cool to have better defaults and QoL fixes to the base engine. 

I appreciate your sentiments Sock, nice to see you.

Speaking of which ...

Changes for better Arcane Dimensions experience ... 

https://www.moddb.com/mods/zircon-engine

jakub1 has been the test MVP here. I simply don't have time to play everything and jakub1 has been identifying issues in maps and otherwise identifying items that can use attention.

1) Linux support (since Release 11 but not posted here I don't think).

2) Fence texture support, the map xj2020_shades from 2020 XMas is a real work of art, will render nicely in Zircon. Also .lmp precache support in QC.

3) Minimum model lighting, defaults on. r_minlight 0 to turn off if you like pitch black monsters/viewmodel/players and some do.

4) Should be better Window handling. On rare occasions DarkPlaces could lose the OpenGL screen, this may never happen now? I can't get it to happen on my machine anymore.

Rest of the changes are in read me. 

Speaking of which ... Changes for better Arcane Dimensions experience
Have always wanted DP to work correctly with AD, so here is my first impressions of Zircon (A14)

First Screen using -game AD
This is frustrating, the menu UI is too small, this is the default start. If the UI menu I am using to change the scaling is too small to see/read, how can I change it!?! Its like some baker-22 situation! The default should be (full window) large and then let people change it afterward.

Forgotten Sepulcher crashes!
Apparently too many static objects, is this the right default? Why can I load it with QS fine? I assume Ive got some setting wrong? Any clues?

Grendel looks awesome!
Look at that sexy custom HUD! damn, finally it works with a DP build. This is AD 1.8.1 (pak files, clean build)

test_custom_hud.bsp
Custom HUD 5 looks awesome with all items, weapons and keys! Really pleased this works as default. Even custom partile effects are working!

I restarted ZirconA14 and the menu scaling is back to super tiny (screenshot 1 above), there must be a reason for this change? Why no setting are being saved? All tests were on W10 and the virus scanner and other bullshit was complaining like crazy about this exe and zip file. Just if you wondering what the default experience is like for someone not familiar with running custom stuff on windows.

*Feature request*
Please can you implement the rain particle system from QSS/FTE into this version DP. The default rain system in DP is just terrible, please save me from shite rain! :)

Awesome as always, please keep going with this! 

Sock here is a curve ball for you ...

I have a q3 mapping kit for Quake 1 with some serious features.

The kit is Trenchbroom and J.A.C.K.

Would you have interest in helping me get it fine tuned?

You have massive experience in Q3 mapping. I may be able to get the kit out by Sunday.

Do you have interest in helping this get polished? 

Sock here is a curve ball for you ...

I have a q3 mapping kit for Quake 1 with features never seen in Quake.

The kit is Trenchbroom and J.A.C.K.

Would you have interest in helping me get it fine tuned.

You have massive experience in Q3 mapping. I may be able to get the kits out by Sunday.

Do you have interest in helping this get polished? 

It's "Alpha" because I think it still needs a lot of work.

I can look over those things.

scaling/startup

I'm working on a decent scaling solution for DarkPlaces, there are more factors involved with DarkPlaces due to csqc and other considerations like existing compatibility.

Scaling is certainly an issue.

scanner

Yes thanks for info on default user experience. I couldn't say about virus scanner, just tested at 2 "virus scan a file site" -- nothing. One of the sites supposedly does 100+ virus checks with all kinds of different vendors. Thanks for letting me know.

Why no setting are being saved?

They should be. Zircon saves to the Quake folder as is traditional on Windows. Are you used to the HOME folder c:\users\something\saved games\...?

rain/snow QSS/FTE into this version DP

That is on my list of something to examine. I love QSS rain/snow. I haven't looked at it.

Sepulcher ... Apparently too many static objects

Interesting. I'll have to look at that. 

I have a q3 mapping kit for Quake 1 with features never seen in Quake. The kit is Trenchbroom and J.A.C.K.
Unfortunately I don't use either of those editors. I used SDRadiant, which is a Q3 editor I converted to Q1. In way I already have Q1/3 support in one editor.

If you need anymore testing / help with Zircon Alpha, let me know. I would love to help get this alpha fixed up into a good stable build with sensible defaults. 

https://www.moddb.com/mods/zircon-engine

Image: https://media.moddb.com/images/downloads/1/253/252357/nn.jpg

Zircon updated largely for Gulliver-trans in the hope that this somehow solves his Linux issue.

Zircon has received updates continuously, so yeah version #23.

I'm not entirely happy with it yet, but as it gets improvements here and there it gets nicer. 

If you like unexpected stuff ...

Watch https://www.moddb.com/mods/zircon-engine

If you don't like unexpected stuff, I think atomic wedgies are hilarious so you get to be "that unware guy"

We all choose who we are.