Well, we didn't get the piece on the weekend to put it simply. I have added 2 screen shots showing some of the stuff we have been working on, like a configurable predator model. They show some of the tests we did do, Cyborg and Hunter models, in action. I think ComBat sent me these. What we do have needs 'adjusting' and some of the final frames to be created. All is done outside our Real Jobs ^(TM) and generally means a day in-between. (sigh) I am sure we'd all like to have ' Nothing Better To Do Than Q2 Stuff ' ^(R) all of the time but it is not to be,   ..yet. So the upshot of it all -any-day-now- or if ya like 'when its done'. (sigh) (I really hate that phrase)

I do have some information that might be of use.. Headstone has some  NH stuff  on his page, along with SpiderBat's  articles  that should be taken with A Grain Of Salt ^(TM) or something Stiffer ^(TM). Some good humor in these as well as tips and tricks. If you know of any other pages with some NH related stuff drop me a note with the links and I will post them for others.

There was an Australian NH server that was quite popular and the guys posted some 'sound replacement' paks ..any one got any news of these or where they got to? Ever try the replacements? Any good? (They might have been sounds from the Predator movie and the whole works got yanked, dunno.)  There was a lot of players on this server until they switched to custom maps, I never saw a thing after that. :(

Well, we are still waiting for that last piece!!  I REALLY hope it's finished this weekend.  Keep an eye on this page and you'll know..

We were planning on releasing 1.5 this past weekend, but we are still waiting for the completion of one of the components.  Due to the holiday weekend, it couldn't be done in time..  All testing is done so as soon as we get the last piece, it'll be released!

We should be able to release 1.5 within the next couple days.. 

Thanks

Well, we're pushing this puppy out the door! Night Hunters version 1.5 will be released this weekend!

Some of the new features in 1.5 include:

- Update to the base 3.20 source.
- New flashlight and IR icons.
- New IR model.
- Predator pulse cannon overload mode.
- Customizable starting weapon for marines.
- Customizable skins and models for predator and marines.
- A marine "spot report" to provide a general description of predator location.
- A "thunder and lightning" show to set the mood.
- Numerous bug fixes.

Stay tuned for updates and thanks for your patience. A couple more days, then it's Miller time!

For those trying to find our main NH server (the Batcave), check the Servers page for the new IP address.  It changed on the weekend..

Well, version 1.5 of Night Hunters is nearing completion and this is your chance to influence the release.

Do you know of a Quake 2 map that would be perfect for Night Hunters?  If so,  send it (or a pointer to it) to us. We'll review it, and if we think it makes the grade, include it in the 1.5 release of Night Hunters.

These maps can be Quake 2 single player maps or custom built maps.  The only restriction is that the maps cannot belong to one of the expansion packs (for copyright reasons). Custom maps will only be included in the  NH release with the permission of their authors.

Send all maps to BatMax. We'll notify you if your submissions selected. You'll also be included in the NH credits (but in very,  very, very small text). :)

There are two new servers listed on the Servers page that you should check out!  Both servers will be great for people on the Home network with the first being located at Shaw in Winnipeg.  Shaw is a cable provider for the Home network so you can expect an excellent connection!

In the move to the 3.20 base code a lot of the code has been totally redone, thanks to DingBat!  It is quite a bit faster and there should be a lot less overflows.  The HUD has been reworked, new icons and the like.  Two biggies added, Safety mode for marines, and one for pred' too, both configurable. Pred's by default is Zero as it has Panic mode.  The other biggie is models, the pred' model/skin can be anything the server has.  The Marines can be either of two ways, locked to specific model/skin -or- 'free', any model you like except the same as the pred's. The MotD is now seen upon joining the server instead of  'info' within the Menu (info is still there).  We have implemented -3- map lists based on the number of users.  For 4 players or less a "small" maps list, 12 players or less use the average DM maps and anything more goes to -BIG- maps. We are still bantering about adding a second pred' for the third map list. (Get the idea of 16+ players on base64/sewer64/city64 maps and team chat for both Marines and pred's. Let the Hunt begin! Drop yer feelings on the message board!) 

   There is more so stay tuned - we're just about there! 

CLQ has Night Hunters! 

I dropped the guys at Champions League for Quake (CLQ) a note to see if I could get NH listed... well the nudge not only worked but stats for the last -few- months also popped up! CLQ tracks all pubic servers, some 7,ooo+, and all those players, some 960,ooo, -and- all related stats! Then compiles, evaluates and rates all players. CLQ sifts through this data in other various ways too, like clans and MODs.. Hats off to those guys for such a bang up job! Servers and players need to do nothing, yet they show up! Really wild when you have a look and think about it! Nearly a million players! 

 NH stats.. TOTAL Players: 1,254    Minutes: 56,133    Frags: 24,822   Servers: 8 

With that many hits you'd think servers would be jammed to the gills. Turns out a lot get the MOD to run privately with their buddies or at work. We even got email from a guy "stationed" in Saudi Arabia that was having trouble getting it up an running on their local LAN! It also turns out quite a few of the servers are in Europe, like two in Germany and one Swiss. Their traffic times would be about 5hrs earlier than ours. Something like that anyway. The bats salute QL, THC and HSD. The Euro crowd is kickin butt! 

Some news on the NH 1.5 front
We have moved to the v3.20 code base and are using features from it rather than some of the home grown stuff. The biggest of these is the Observer/Chase Cam stuff. This stuff is a lot faster and zero bugs. Another interesting change is the "Hit FLASHLIGHT key to Enter Game". So, no more new guys using a "Blaster Flashlight", folks will need their binds before entering the game. This  will cut down a lot on the insanity.. LOL. Most notable of the new features is the OVERLOAD for the pred's RL. you might as well bind overload to a key and get ready for it. This is intended to help HPW's that have a hard time using the Rail, but be warned ..it uses TWO rockets for each  shot. So it will eat them at an alarming rate! You will see the rockets visually about 3 feet apart. Cool. Keep in mind that the pred's RL has less damage and the Overload gives twice this, bringing it back up to normal. I might add that it allows the predator to do some amazing RL jumps.. 8-) 

Some seem to miss the fact that the Super Marine, code named predator, is intended for stealth.  Fast, really hard hitting without the strength to carry Armor or a great wealth of Ammo. It is meant to send Stroggs to oblivion quickly.. 

Now that Dingbat is available once again to work on Night Hunters 1.5 (the bugger took a vacation), it shouldn't take us much longer to get it out the door..

So far it's up, running and stable with some new features, but more work has to be done - mostly new features.  The new 'overload' for the Pred's rocket launcher is in along with some other minor changes.  Dingbat will be working on the positional macro for the Marines while I'll be working a new MOTD.  Also, more punishment will be given to Marines that insist on killing other marines by automatically banning them from the server after they get kicked enough times (we're not 100% sure on this one yet).

We are in need of some models for the Predator, IR goggles (to replace the Quad and Invincibility) and the flare, and need some icon sized pictures for the IR and flare.  The Hunter model looks good for the predator, but we're not sure what we are going to do yet.  If you know of any models or pictures that would be good for the IR and flare, send me a message.

I have added 5 new pictures from BatCat to the screen shots page.  Check them out, they're great!

This news page was getting long, so I broke it into two..

I have added a Gamespy tab to the Download section. 

The Message board has been moved to Planetquake.  Hopefully this will be better for everyone..

Version 1.44.4b of the server has been released and can be downloaded from he Download section if you want to run a server yourself.  If you just want to play, you don't need to download the 1.44.4b files.  You just need the client files which can be downloaded in the Download section..  The client files have NOT changed from 1.44.4a to 1.44.4b.

The following are the changes in 1.44.4b:

-Added message on attacker's screen and console when a marine kills another marine
-Added predator's name to line when player is killed by predator
-Disabled kill command for predator and observers etc
-Added lighting effect to screen when changing maps
-Removed Admin menu option, as it's not implemented yet

I suggest that all server admins download the update and apply the new gamei386.so/dll file.  The config files haven't really changed at all, so just replace the dll.

Dingbat and I spent a good chunk of the weekend porting Night Hunters to the 3.20 code base..  It's all up and working but we'll be testing it extensively before we release it and there's quite a few changes we need to add in. :) 

The next major version of Night Hunters will be v1.5 which is based on the 3.20 code.  It will include many of the suggestions that have been voiced in the Message board such as charged up weapons to help HPBs, and more punishment for predator suicides and marine kills by other marines (among other things). 

I'll be working on a minor update which will be v1.44.4b.  I plan on adding the punishment for predator suicides and marine kills by other marines as this is what most people seem to want...  I'd like to get this out soon so everyone doesn't have to wait for the 1.5 code to be released.. 

We would like to find a good model for the Predator (mutant marine).  When we do, we can unlock the "marine" model and let everyone use their own skin.. 

The silhouette (sp?) must be obviously different
It can not look similar to any of the standard or more popular models. 

It should have all the normal frames the "id" models do
Due to the way things are more visible and exaggerated with "light" flashes, some of the sequences become quite amazing.  Kind of like the way strobe lights let you see your friend's movements as frozen stills over time.  The predators body should have some decent "flop-over-dead" sequences as there will be many marines "looking" that way as well as lots of weapon flashes and flashlights bouncing around! LOL 

The marines will also get great satisfaction in seeing that varmint DIE!  the more spectacular the better. 

Also important would be the shooting sequence.  For many this would be what they see most often as the predator sends them to oblivion! The last flash of light before they die. 8-( 

The run and jump sequences are reasonably important too as marines might catch a glimpse as it scurries by.. 

Of least importance is the "idle" sequence as almost no one will see it, except the lucky few. But then they will be most interested in seeing it DIE! 8-) 

Keep the "story" in mind.. 
It is an engineered mutant! Designed to kill the most awesome Stroggs.  It -was- a human and those that kill it will become it. 

The skin should be simple. 
Take a good look at how the female/jungle skin currently looks. It has the camo' blotches to help blend in to backgrounds.  It is also quite
transparent so most detail is lost, except for high contrast things. 

VWEP support? 
Not overly important, but would be nice.  Two weapons based around the Rocket Launcher and Railgun and possibly one more. 

Weapon skin is not overly important as we'd like to make in transparent as well. (currently its not) 

Model for NH only?
If this MOD really catches on then we'd like to keep it unique.  Again, not overly important. 

We are here to have fun! 

Got something that might do the trick? 

Got the patience to make something killer? (sic pun) 

Want to rock the Quake 2 world? (or come close anyway :) 

Can we keep it quiet 'til release time? ..we'd like to! LOL 

Send me some sketches, screens, any kind of images and a plan of how you think it should be. ..and whatever else you can think of! 

It has come to my attention that a lot of people are have trouble with BINDS, not just ours.

If the MOD is launched improperly you will NOT get your BINDs and if you do set them up they get written back out to the wrong MOD.. 

Most problems stem from just launching Quake2 directly and either typing 'connect (mod-server-address)' or putting the address in the q2 address book. 

In both of these cases you will get the config.cfg and autoexec.cfg files from baseq2.  Any changes are written out to there as well, if at all. (if you use QUIT from console then nothing is written) 

Or you may have run another MOD first, either correctly or not, then done either of the above. If it was done correctly then the second MOD's config is written back to the first MOD folder. (double whammy, eeck!) 

Run it correctly.. 
1. Use a launcher like GameSpy, which does it correctly for you.  Note: QPlug does NOT launch Quake2 correctly.  It launches from the baseq2 directory! 

2. Create a short cut with a command line that looks like this: 

(path-to-your-q2-folder)Quake2\quake2.exe +set basedir g:\GAMES\QUAKE2 +set game nhunters +menu_joinserver 
...and add your IP addresses for that MOD to the address book. 

2b. Use same command line as above but swap '+menu_joinserver' for 'connect (IP adress:port-other-than-default)' 

3. BY HAND.. (ugly but useful) 
....A. open console and type 'disconnect' 
....B. type 'unbindall' 
....C. type 'game (MOD folder name)' 
....D. type 'exec config.cfg' 
....E. type 'exec autoexec.cfg' (if you have one) 
....F. either type a 'connect IP' command or use/edit the address book in multiplayer/join 
....G. play.. 8-) 
....H. use the Quake2 menu to quit, this will save config.cfg changes properly. 

For those of you that use some other utilities like KeyGrip2, 
..make a copy of your proper config file, name it myconfig.cfg 
..add the command 'unbindall' on the first line, 
..add this to your shortcut, before the last command '+exec myconfig.cfg' 

If you have custom alias's or macros put them in the autoexec.cfg file. 

For the crafty.. 
make a file with a simple name, like 'c.cfg', and put it in the root Quake2 folder, put these lines in it; 
unbindall 
exec config.cfg 
exec autoexec.cfg 

Now once you switch to another MOD folder go to the console and type 'exec ../c.cfg'. This will exec your config files that are local to your current MOD folder, if you don't have any yet it will then get the config.cfg from baseq2, your default config. 

autoexec.cfg is only edited by hand and must be copied by hand to those MOD folders you want it in. 

Looks like that turned into "Everything You Wanted To Know About Your Config File But Were Afraid To Ask".. sheesH! 8-) 

Good hunting.. 

September 10th, 1998 to January 9th, 1999 news