Quake 3 Master Server?

[trippn740]

I've been unable to retrieve anything from the master server as of today... Tried on two pc's and my modded xbox and all fail to retrieve server list from master server... I've tried everything I could find on the internet on the subject withous success and was just wondering if the master server's down today?

[obsidian]

It's not a question of whether the master server is down, it's a question of when the master server is actually up.

http://www.quake3world.com/q3guide/faq.html

[CBC_NeRd]

The mystery about the masterserver is getting even bigger. It is true that the master server is not always responding, but when he is responding he only shows server who are online line for a long time. New server won't be listed at all.

I don't know why this is happing but the lifeline of Q3 is slowly being squeezed until it's dead

*[CBC]NeRd
*Online player sinds 1999*

[obsidian]

Read the FAQ, use a third party browser, or play Quake Live.

[Wishful Thinking!]

There is a possible chance that the server is being hacked. As a Botnet has been attacking servers world wide on the Q3A ports, all mods and all games relating to Q3A.

[demon514]

I highly doubt that. It is more likely that id Software has purposely taken down the Quake 3 master server in order to get more people to switch over to the lesser, Quake Live.

[obsidian]

The Quake3 Master Server hasn't exactly been operational since 2001/2002, since Mplayer/Gamespy folded. This is news as of 10 years ago. You don't need the Master Server to play Quake 3, just use a third-party browser like everyone else, as linked in the FAQ I posted above.

[demon514]

The Quake3 Master Server hasn't exactly been operational since 2001/2002

.. I don't exactly know what you mean by this, but as far as I know, when I queried the master server on the morning of Saturday the 14th, it was returning to me a list of Quake 3 servers. That, to me, is operational. Later, that same day, I got no response from it and it's been unresponsive ever since. I appreciate your suggestion of using a 3rd-party browser, but my concern isn't that *I* can't use the built-in Quake 3 server browser anymore, my concern is that "everyone else" can't. The populations of Quake 3 servers (including the one that I play on) have drastically decreased since the master server ceased operation. You can check out server population statistics for yourself on Gametracker.com. If the master server doesn't ever come back online, it's game over for Quake 3 Arena. Period.

[pure.]

I highly doubt that. It is more likely that id Software has purposely taken down the Quake 3 master server in order to get more people to switch over to the lesser, Quake Live.

Well.... I went over and tried Quake Live for 3 days now. Don't like it . If Q3 is dead... I'm outa here. I'll have to take up Half Life, I hear they have servers running

[Eraser]

Why all the hatred towards Quake Live. I really don't see whats so different about it

[Eraser]

If the master server doesn't ever come back online, it's game over for Quake 3 Arena. Period.

I think you're being a little over dramatic here. It's not like Quake 3 is still at the prime of its life and I doubt there's still many people who use the in-game server browser to find games. Most people still playing it will be playing at the same servers they've been playing on for over a decade. And even if you're looking for new servers, there's always 3rd party options like obsidian suggested.

[MKJ]

the master server was down long before QLive was launched. not only that, the server browser didnt work properly since random patch #12. everyone who played either used a 3rd party browser or had favorites.

bunch of conspiracy theorists

[^misantropia^]

@demon514 is right in that the master server is still up and running, it's just incredibly flaky. Has been for years.

[obsidian]

That, to me, is operational.

It's always been online, it just hasn't done what it was supposed to do in a decade. That, to me, is non-functional.

[demon514]

If Q3 is dead... I'm outa here. I'll have to take up Half Life, I hear they have servers running

pure. ! It's me DemoNn from PTP Haven't seen ya in awhile. Besides your quake3 needs, hope all else is well. Yeah Half-Life probably isn't such a bad idea. I might make the jump to DooM 3. I've never tried it multiplayer, and I heard it sucks.. but nothing a bit of programming can't fix though.

Why all the hatred towards Quake Live. I really don't see whats so different about it

Eraser, just to name a few differences:
- Classic maps like ctf4 have been butchered. Not just from an item placement standpoint, but their geometries have been changed too. and what's with that terribly annoying and distracting background with big bright planets in it n shit? Space maps are supposed to be plain BLACK. I'd settle for a few stars here and there, but no.. That's what happens when you throw a bunch of money at artists and tell them to produce something... Sometimes less is more.
- No more blood. Instead we have "sparks" which look more like pretty little, slow moving, floating golden bubbles.
- No homemade maps or mods allowed (this one alone is a deal breaker. The server I play on is a pure server with its own respective client and soon to have a working "kill cam" implemented.... Though since the server's population dropped from an average of 10 different players a day to the occassional 1 person who connects to see if anyone is online and then disconnects, I don't see why the programmer would continue developement on the mod.

The majority of that server's traffic came through the master server. Every day a new name would connect, and now? nothing. Just out of curiousity, pure. (if you're reading this) how did YOU find the server (PTP)?

Fact is, the majority of Quake 3 players use the built-in browser. The statistics don't lie. and anyone who plays Quake 3 daily knows that their favorite server has lost more than half of it's traffic.

Anyway, that answers the Quake Live question. I can add more to the list.. and I probably will in my next post, if provoked. I don't even like to talk about Quake Live One Quake 3 wasn't enough? They just HAD to make a copy. Let's charge our customers X dollars for Quake 3 Arena, make a bad copy of it, destroy the original and then charge them again for it.

I doubt there's still many people who use the in-game server browser to find games.

Eraser, I wish that were true, but it's quite the opposite. Even *I*, who's been playing since q3 since 99 still use the built-in browser. Mind you, I use the Team Arena browser because it's about 10x faster (estimated guess). Why would I go through the trouble of downloading a 3rd-party app. or go to a website that lists q3 servers when I could just pick and choose from within the game? If you're stuck with the slower q3a browser and you're somewhat a computer enthousiast, then fine, you're probably likely to search around for another solution. But the fact is, for whatever reason, most Quake 3 players rely on the master server to find new servers to play on.

My sincere apologies to all for the long post. I'll try to be more brief in the future.

[madmad]

Been playing since the demo came out and aside from short period of using the all seing eye I have always used the ingame browser, if it goes it will be a major letdown. And I couldnt retrieve the server list for few days now...noticable drop in player numbers on favourite servers.

[wallabi]

I highly doubt that. It is more likely that id Software has purposely taken down the Quake 3 master server in order to get more people to switch over to the lesser, Quake Live.

Well.... I went over and tried Quake Live for 3 days now. Don't like it . If Q3 is dead... I'm outa here. I'll have to take up Half Life, I hear they have servers running

pure pure pure pure pure pure pure pure pure pure pure pure

WHERE THE @#%@#($U@#($ IS MY DAM MASTER SERVER!!! RWAR!

if id really shut it down just to get more ppl on qlive...ill never buy a id game again!!! it better just have a dead psu and there digging up some junker p3 machine from the basement to get it working again!

[Eraser]

Eraser, just to name a few differences:
- Classic maps like ctf4 have been butchered. Not just from an item placement standpoint, but their geometries have been changed too. and what's with that terribly annoying and distracting background with big bright planets in it n shit? Space maps are supposed to be plain BLACK. I'd settle for a few stars here and there, but no.. That's what happens when you throw a bunch of money at artists and tell them to produce something... Sometimes less is more.
- No more blood. Instead we have "sparks" which look more like pretty little, slow moving, floating golden bubbles.
- No homemade maps or mods allowed (this one alone is a deal breaker.

The first two issues seem like very minor things. Especially the skybox thing, because you can just set r_fastsky to 1. The reason for the sparks being there is obvious. Q3 is rated 17+ in the US. They don't want to restrict Quake Live to 17+ players so they replaced the blood with sparks so that it's more like a 12+ game than a 17+ game. I don't see the issue. Functionally, the sparks do the same as the blood and is it really that important to you that, in a competitive multiplayer game, players explode in showers of make-belief blood?

I just find it odd that you, among loads of other people, are having a negative attitude towards such minor changes but at the same time would just as easily swap out Q3 for Half-Life, which is a totally different game.

[obsidian]

Have any of you thought of contacting someone at id Software (maybe SyncError) and asking them about the problem (if there is indeed a problem)? Perhaps it's down for maintenance, or they don't know about the problem, or perhaps they didn't think anyone was using it anymore. Regardless, it's better than typing out paragraphs of speculation which doesn't get you anywhere.

[demon514]

Have any of you thought of contacting someone at id Software (maybe SyncError) and asking them about the problem

It's the first thing I did before I came here out of desperation. I searched all over id Soft's website without finding any means of contacting them. I did a Whois lookup on the master server's ip and got the following e-mail address: ddt@idsoftware.com to which I received a failure of delivery notice. I then did a Whois on idsoftware.com's ip and got: it@idsoftware.com to which I'm still awaiting ANY kind of reply. I don't know if I should try contacting someone at Bethseda or ZeniMax? I was thinking of trying different variations of what John Carmack's e-mail address might be.... johncarmack, john.carmack, johnc, jc@idsoftware.com, etc. Anyway..... I'm about ready to hang up my double-barreled shotgun (if I haven't done so already), but if you have any contact information you can share with me/us, I'll start sending out e-mails right away. .. or if you have any ideas as to whom or where I can obtain contact info., point me in the right direction wtv, I'd appreciate it.

[obsidian]

syncerror -at- idsoftware -dot- com

Keep in mind, they are busy people so don't expect an answer right away, but they will typically get back to you if you ask a question reasonably.

[madmad]

As I failed to find any direct contact with iD I emailed ZeniMax tech support yesterday politely asking for any info about whats going on. Awaiting reply, not pinning any hopes though...

[demon514]

Excellent. The polite and humble e-mail has been sent! I basically wrote that the master server was down and asked him if he was aware of it, and if so, if he knew when it might come back online. As long as he doesn't read the trash I wrote here about QL, we should be ok. I'm not holding my breath though on getting a response, but if I do get one, I'll be sure to post it here for you guys. Thanks obsidian.

[Eraser]

Yeah let us know. It's much appreciated.

[dkvogon]

I have some views that would share.
I put a server to run the game in Brazil, and in less than two months he spent more than 250 players. The majority, about 90% are beginners with modest computers, and found my server for the master server list. They have no idea how to get into the server directly and not even know the existence of programs that seek to servers.
Obviously these players stopped playing when the master server stopped working and 10% older did not play due to lack of opponents. And none of them are certainly not playing Quake Live.
A point to be placed is that Quake3 still being sold (just look at Amazon.com and Steampowered, just to name two). How is the buyer of the game (like many of the players on my server) that has acquired and now can not play on the internet?
Maybe the server administrators were to come together and make a global campaign using facebook, twitter, orkut and other means, to use another master server, as dpmaster, for example. That way we would end up with the dependence of the master server id.