Singleplayer/Multiplayer thoughts...

[DrSpike]

I don't dislike vanilla as much as some, though if pushed I would admit I think promode is the superior game. But vanilla is a good compromise........it is very easy to just pick up and play but still hard to play well.

I agree it seems unlikely now that id will release a variant of promode as quake4, because it is aimed at experienced players. Having said that there is a huge wealth of present quake players that would be able to adapt very easily......so perhaps it wouldn't be a complete bust.

[DrSpike]

Hey since you are quakehead tell me how long it takes you to recover after a break. I always recover quickly after a weekend away, or a couple of days with no play due to work. However I didn't play for 2 weeks over Christmas and now I have played painfully badly for 4 days straight, even though I am playing more than I would usually have time for.

[pg]

i haven't played seriously online since i was handicapped with my modem. it's not that modems are all bad but my phone lines here die out at 26.4k. the bad ping(250ms is my lowest) coupled with a 2.8k rate really kills gaming. if i had a decent sub-200ms 56k connection i'd be fine.

about your question - i'm a very serious gamer(i used to play 4hrs+ a day for 3 yrs). i still play once in a while online with 250-350 ping. i usually get frustrated though and give up because i know i'm losing due to my connection. the only reason i keep coming back is it's so fun to actually beat lpbs(especially duel) with this ping then see then go psycho.

i recover in a few hours of continual playing(with over 200ms). over the years i've had lots of different connections. i've spent a majority of my time hpb(hpb is over 120ms in qw), but i've had a few months playing as lpb, and lan. i've also had experience with the old netcode(netquake/doom style), and new netcode(q3/qw style). my recovery rate depends on my connection/ping, and style of netcode. my brain needs time to adjust to my lag mostly, but i do recover faster on new style netcode simply because it's so much easier. on lan i'm good in 5mins regardless of netcode type but not at my peak. to reach my real peak i need a few weeks of continual play at a consistant ping - then i can do what i call live the game(read: zen like playing state, the subconscious takes over!). i define my peak as hitting every shot that can be expected and hitting all the trick jumping the first try, and every try. when i'm at a lan or have a lpb connection quaking is my life and religion.

when i first started i synched up to my ping almost instantly. as time went by and i had to adjust to different styles of netcode, played different games, had different connections my recovery time has gone up gradually. maybe it's just because i'm getting older though.

[DrSpike]

Hehe, well things picked up a bit today (day 5)....but not to the level I would have hoped. Work starts tomorrow so I wanted to be back on form by tonight.

I understand the Zen comment......when all is well the human mind can do amazing things......and hit shots without even knowing where the opposing player is. Interestingly scientists have 'identified' for physical sportspeople what being in the zone means for neurological activity, and it turns out good quake players exhibit the same neurological symtpoms.

But when it goes badly it's like golf........try all you want, when you play badly there sod all you can do about it.