PC Gaming - Deprecated 2009-14 - [Run By: Pfkninenines]

With two different games, I suppose it would make sense to just have alternative weeks. I'd like to have offer other games, but those games are still under negotiation. Luckily, there are many multiplayer games that are free if you have a Source based game such as HL2:DM. The other point that is not necessarily required, but is preferred, is the ability to host the game. This allows us the ability to have moderation over the server and anyone who joins. Sticking with a Source based server generally allows us this ability.

I've been looking at Half Life 2: CTF which is a free download, and only requires HL2:DM and Half Life 2. There are other mods that are offered through Steam directly such as Insurgency: Modern Infantry Combat, Zombie Panic! Source, and Frontline Force.

What we need is a separate weekend event that is placed at a time where anyone can come.

I'll definitely be there tomorrow ON TIME for once, due to no school on Remembrance Day. Ironic how we'll be spending the afternoon shooting up each other in the virtual world.

If you showed up to this weeks' event, you will have heard myself and others discussing potential additions to the offerings we can have weekly. I've observed that people tend to enjoy the Half Life 2: Deathmatch games more and more, and whenever something like Team Fortress 2 gets voted for game of the week, people don't show up. This can come down to many reasons, though I tend to believe it is based on price. With the minimum amount of money to run HL2:DM (zero), and something like Team Fortress 2 or Counter-Strike: Source ($20 bought alone), it seems the cheaper, the better.

As such, we have been trying to decide what options would be as cheap as possible, while still offering a variety of great gameplay. As it currently stands, the options we are looking at for alternatives to the preexisting offered games meet all of our criteria, though they do require a minor commitment in the cost department. All modifications (mods) that people have made for the Half Life 2 engine require you to own any Half Life 2 game. Granted, Valve gives away HL2:DM and Lost Coast for free to most people, if your graphics card applies (Nvidia and ATI, which are the two most popular dedicated graphics card suppliers), but the free games do not count. You are required to purchase any HL2 based game in order to qualify to use the HL2 based mods.

Given these requirements, at maximum people would have to pay $10 on Steam in order to qualify for the ability to have the Source Engine SDK used for the mods. If you already own a purchased copy of The Orange Box, Half Life 2: Deathmatch, Day of Defeat, Counter-Strike: Source, Half Life 2 / episodes, or similar game, you won't need to buy anything to use any of the mods mentioned.

The games we have decided to look at include, but are not necessarily limited to;

Half Life 2: Capture The Flag - http://www.hl2ctf.com/
Similar to Half Life 2: Deathmatch, though based around the gametype of capture the flag. A few new weapons are added, as well as new maps.
FAQ / info from ModDB

GoldenEye Source - http://www.goldeneyesource.net/
If you've played GoldenEye 007 for the Nintendo 64, you'll find this quite familiar. Uses the Source engine, so it's not nearly as blocky.
FAQ / info from ModDB

Insurgency - Modern Infantry Combat - http://www.insmod.org/
A mix between Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and Day of Defeat Source, a modern combat style First Person Shooter.
FAQ / info from ModDB

D.I.P.R.I.P. Warm Up - http://www.diprip.com/news.php5
A total rework of the First Person Shooter theme of the Half Life 2 game, you're a vehicle and so is everyone else. Drive around, blow people up. Can't get much simpler than that.
FAQ / info from ModDB

Please post opinions in the comments below. We'd like to have a final decision on one mod by the end of the weekend in order to have it up and running for next weeks' event.

Note - Though other games could be considered if you have others to suggest, be sure we would be able to host the servers locally, and that the price is low. Free, if at all possible.

I tried GES, the controls are a bit awkward if you're used to TF2 or HL2, but it's fun nevertheless. When I was playing there was only 1 server, and 5 people on that server, but it was a blast, had fun.

HL2 CTF doesn't want to install for me though...i don't know why. I have the right folders and everything, it says it's installing, and then it doesn't. No idea how to fix that.

I haven't tried the others yet, but maybe I'll do that tomorrow.

Edit: DIPRIP has been completely dead. No idea why, but there are no servers at all. I'd consider leaving that one off the list.

Insurgency is not noob friendly - ie, it's more realistic than your average shooter. People kill you from really far away and you die far too often and without warning, and usually without seeing the other person. Frustrating for me to try to play.

Goldeneye is still not very populated, but out of the 3 that I can try (HL2CTF still refuses to install), I think it's the most fun, and we can just join a server and have fun with lower numbers due to the few servers being free for all (for good reason).

Unless something goes wrong with the install of the server, we're going to have GoldenEye Source as our mod.

Check out http://www.goldeneyesource.net/ for information, and for the client download.

It was pretty good, we had some annoying guy at the start, but after that it went fine. It was a good turnout.

It's too bad you couldn't get it to work. Was it the same thing as with HL2CTF?

If you installed it the way I've talked about in my posts, and you followed what it said in the Wiki, I'm not sure what went wrong.

Just a reminder, you need a PURCHASED Source based game; a free game such as the promotional HL2:DM or Portal won't work.