... UT dying or not ... Effort to keep it alive

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... UT dying or not ... Effort to keep it alive

Post by Feralidragon » Wed Dec 23, 2009 6:34 am

http://www.ut99.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2403

Basically, as many might know, the UT community is dying.
However, UT is still really active, but most players never register on forums or even clans, and so most of them don't know the existence of tons of mods and maps being developed every day and still being released.

So Myth at ut99.org had an excellent idea: why not update the News page in UT itself with the most recents mods, maps and even the ones in developing?

The thing is, this is something that have to be asked to on Epic's forums and it should be carefully thought about, and written with the max care possible, and show that we are serious about this and that we can handle that task.

Followed by that idea, most people there want to create a new "NaliCity" of some sort, full of downloads, maps and mods reviews, discussions of all sorts every week (like making a Map of the Week like in unrealsp.org).
Of course, this all needs to be done and properlly organized before the post attempt on Epic.

And even that within some weeks that post fails when posted, we should be able to have a good community center for everyone.

So, what I ask you guys is to participate in this little quest to revive UT, giving your 2 cents on the subject and propose what you consider that should be added into the post, who could carry such task as update the news in case it's accepted, or even if we should all together create a new forum or use an existing active one for the matter, and which one.

We aim with all this join the community, which is shattered in very small but active pieces. So if you still want to see this game active for more and more years, please give your feedback and sugestions here or in that post, or any other kind of help.

Thanks for reading. :)

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Re: ... UT dying or not ... Effort to keep it alive

Post by Hook » Wed Dec 23, 2009 1:22 pm

As far as Using the NEWS tab in UT - That is a GOOD idea. :P I like it.
And it should be available to ALL reputable UT groups!
I have looked into this very thing just a bit but I may pursue it some more.
In fact, I just MAY be able to "fix" that tab myself. :|
Anyway, Epic may give that News Page over fairly easy as they did with the source code to UTPG.
:arrow: UTPG

As far as a New NaliCity or site like it?
Maybe? :| - We have enough UT sites now though I think and NaliCity was very flawed towards the end.
IF the New "NaliCity" was ethical, that would be nice, IF it really does come about and people really think we need another one! :roll:
What we DO need to do is to conserve what we Already have in the way of files, etc., for UT.
There are still a few sites that are doing that very thing - including HUTP (my site) :wink:

Maybe the Better thing to do (an Old Idea) is to Consolidate our remaining UT sites into a webring!!!
This has been started by one person I know of already and I used to have one back in the early 2000's - it worked good. :wink:

Another thing, (while I am on my soapbox), :P is that there are a lot of people out there that just do not know about this wonderful game that can be had for a song. (literally)
Let's get the word out to these potential New Players of UT99!
I always try to spread the word about UT99! :wink:

Also, every time we talk about UT99 "dying" :roll: every one throws a "New Mod" at it! :shock:
That doesn't seem to "fix" it much if at all.
The game by itself is VERY GOOD!
Mods are OK, but I enjoy Good old UT99 the best! :mrgreen:
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Re: ... UT dying or not ... Effort to keep it alive

Post by gopostal » Wed Dec 23, 2009 4:11 pm

In a nutshell, UTPG highlights exactly why Epic keeps control of things. They allowed a "supergroup" to update the core and it's a mess. Two "final" versions, a slew of problems, bad backward compatibility, blah blah...

UT is a great game but it has some fundamental flaws. Too much cheating, various ways to hard crash a server remotely, version mismatches to name a few. If you really wanted to "save" UT a couple of really good ideas are to:

A) institute a Master registration list where players have a dedicated ID (like the 2004 hash). This will facilitate easy banning across all servers and make cheating a serious issue, versus "Oh i cant play here now".
B) Give the game away. Seriously. Make it a free download. It's so cheap now you can't cover the cost of production.
C) Release the source code. I want to fix my damn gravity once and for all! (Caveat: depends on how much UCC differs to ut2004 and on)
D) Start a file registration service where ALL files are registered by name. This will do away with version mismatches. Any server running non-registered files should be suspended from the master server list.
E) Let groups improve netcode. So much more could be done if the pipes were opened up some.

Anyhow, I'm dreaming a bit I think....

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Re: ... UT dying or not ... Effort to keep it alive

Post by Hook » Wed Dec 23, 2009 4:46 pm

Another 2 cents... :lol:

This topic: ... UT dying or not ... Effort to keep it alive
Between THIS Site and Forums (Hermskii's) and MY Site and Forums, (not even mentioning UT99.org and many others), UT99 WILL Stay Alive! :wink:
That is NOT even an issue! :mrgreen:
When any other UT99 sites disappear, I know for sure that at least Hermskii's and Mine will be here! :P
Those players that are Still loyal and enthusiastic about UT99 (as much as I am) WILL boil down to the UT99 sites that are left UP and Strong!
Even IF we have 5 players left, we 5 will play!
Even down to 1 on 1 !!! (I'll probably be in a nursing home by then but what the heck!) :lol:
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Re: ... UT dying or not ... Effort to keep it alive

Post by Feralidragon » Sat Dec 26, 2009 6:36 pm

Time to report back:

You all wanted a base "to do list", here it goes: http://www.ut99.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2424

Now it's giving at least a bit of help, even to improve your own communities, or just don't give and let the community exactly as it is. Be sure you read all that and reply if you're interested or if any of you want to give at least any sugestion at all.

And if any of you are indeed interested, you can reply there or here if you're not registered.


Btw, it's not a replique of "NaliCity". I meant something with its activity and "system", but held by several elements of several different communities, which would be much different.

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Re: ... UT dying or not ... Effort to keep it alive

Post by Hermskii » Sat Dec 26, 2009 9:20 pm

Luckily,

I feel that UT has morphed into enough of its own thing that it is actually too big for even Epic to stop now. We know we can create our own master servers. We already have enoug in the way of mappers and coders to do it alone as we have for over 5 years.

I have never known Epic to respond to anything UT related past about 2003. Let's see.
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Re: ... UT dying or not ... Effort to keep it alive

Post by Hook » Mon Dec 28, 2009 9:11 am

Hermskii wrote:Luckily,

I feel that UT has morphed into enough of its own thing that it is actually too big for even Epic to stop now. We know we can create our own master servers. We already have enoug in the way of mappers and coders to do it alone as we have for over 5 years.

I have never known Epic to respond to anything UT related past about 2003. Let's see.
AMEN!!! :P
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Re: ... UT dying or not ... Effort to keep it alive

Post by Fuzz_Ball » Thu Dec 31, 2009 11:00 am

I'm still in the game but it's taking me a long time to get up to speed on development. I have no intention of leaving the game anytime soon.

I'm generally lazy, non-committed and somewhat detached and have a short attention span. Aside from that, I play online almost daily, stay active in various forums and talk UT to non-beleivers often.

Here's an idea, make a copy of UT for your friends, print some basic instructions for them to get setup, updated, bonus-packed, patched and online.

The best thing I like about UT99 is the portability of it. There is hardly a machine alive today that can't run it. It takes up little harddrive space compared to today's resource hogs. Due to the different game types, there's plenty of variety. Most of all IT's STILL DAMN FUN!

We still have a community of good people and I'm making friends around the world. Sure there are a few rotten apples, but isn't that daily life? Spread the word and keep active.
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Re: ... UT dying or not ... Effort to keep it alive

Post by BIOMECH » Thu Dec 31, 2009 5:44 pm

I'm just suprised that this massively outdated game keeps getting new people.

I have yet to understand how.
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Re: ... UT dying or not ... Effort to keep it alive

Post by Hermskii » Thu Dec 31, 2009 6:22 pm

It's me. I tell people that 1 out of every 50 new players wins a new PC based on the MHM win a PC promotion.
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Re: ... UT dying or not ... Effort to keep it alive

Post by Blood Asp » Thu Dec 31, 2009 10:32 pm

Allow me for a temporal time to bring up the old base of *Unreal*, The sort of starting point of the base area of Unreal games,

Look around the internet for a game called: Nerf Arena Blast, If u can find a download, you will see it has an editor highly similar to UT, as is the gameplay and structure of it however clearly alot older.

Now look in multiplayer and.... Oh dear, One day This COULD happen, however since UT Is WAY more developed and is breaking the rules that Epic thought were unbreakable, UT Is still living.

Though we say we play UT99, We really arent playing UT99 anymore, in all truth, that game is dead and gone, all the modifications and maps people have been doing it have completely transformed it that it is almost nothing like UT99 at all, even alot of weaponry have been changed.

Since it still has the UT99 logo and all we will blindly say "I'm off to UT99 cya soon" However CAN we call it UT99 anymore or have we created something totally new?
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Re: ... UT dying or not ... Effort to keep it alive

Post by Hook » Tue Jan 05, 2010 9:34 am

EA_Elemental wrote:Though we say we play UT99, We really aren't playing UT99 anymore, in all truth, that game is dead and gone, all the modifications and maps people have been doing it have completely transformed it that it is almost nothing like UT99 at all, even a lot of weaponry have been changed.

Since it still has the UT99 logo and all we will blindly say "I'm off to UT99 cya soon" However CAN we call it UT99 anymore or have we created something totally new?
EA
Speak for yourself!
Many of us Still Play UT99 as it was - and still is.
It is called Old Skool! :wink:
And many of us do still play it!
It seems to be making a come-back I think! :P
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