All grown up: Quake Live out of beta, got a job (offering subscription plans)

I think I'll still use it for free.

uhhhh... No thanks..

Sweet!

I was beta testing it long ago.

The thing that pissed me off is that it installs PunkBuster as a service to your system. If it only ran at game launch, no problem, but it installs it and registers it as a service to your system, so it launches and runs on start-up, and if you disable it, the game won't launch.

PunkBuster never has had a good rep for actually stopping cheaters. In fact, it has a bigger record for kicking out LEGITIMATE players more than the damn cheaters. I know several times I would join a game, start playing, and 30 seconds later "YOU WERE DISCONNECTED. Reason: PUNKBUSTER FAILED TO AUTHENTICATE."

The paid custom game thing was mentioned awhile back, but they are out of their !@#$ing minds if they think people will pay $50 for it. The game is Quake 3 with a slight makeover. It has slightly higher res textures, a few new models, and a few new maps. You can pay $10 and buy a copy of the original Quake 3 and play as many custom maps and servers are you like.

And before anyone says "This is Quake in a browser", no, it's not. The entire game (all 400MB of it) is downloaded to your system after you install the client. You install a plugin that lets the game start in a browser, and it can in fact run in a window on a browser, but the game also supports full-screen mode. You get the entire original game with a simple plug in to let it be launched from the browser. Even some of the file directory structure (in the hidden folder for it) is the same.

Also, be prepared for some of the cheating that happened on the original Quake 3. Your opponents will call down the console, and change everyone to the bright Tank model, So everyone will now be the biggest model in the game, neon green,and you will be loud as hell when you move. This exploit was available in the original game, and they didn't fix it here, either.

Guess the ad model just didn't do it, which I think id had been saying.

I occasionally pop in for a quick fix, but I can't see ever paying for this. I guess if you want to avoid the unwashed masses, the paid options will segregate you to those premium maps.

I still miss RA3's Clan Arena maps and gameplay.

I didn't even know this existed... isn't Quake supposed to be all bloody gory monsters popping at you all the time? This thing looks all goody two shoes, frag your friends for free, with goofy looking and colorful characters. Not... exactly what I associate with the Quake name.

Isn't this technically not a browser game? Sure it plays in it but don't you have to download something like a client to make it work?

Oops I thought I read foreplay, not for-pay.

Orrrr.....
I can go buy Quake 3 for $2.

I'll pay for the extra maps, I love Quake Live.

48$/year isn't a bad price for id seemingly giving you a server where you want it to be. That's pretty amazing. Although I'm sure it won't be just anywhere, probably just locations like NYC, Chicago, LA, or whatnot.

That's not something you usually get for a low, low price of 4$/month (that I know of). Hell, ESEA charges just to play on their servers...

And it's still optional too. I like it.

Yeahbutt... will Quake Arena Arcade have dedducatered servahs?

meh, works out to like two bucks a year. why not

if you add in the cost of the dedicated servers, its not a bad deal. the "premium maps and modes" however makes it seem strange. It would be better to just pay for the ability to join and form clans and launch servers rather than segregate the community.